THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 20, 1995 TAG: 9510180146
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
A two-day conference focusing on health issues that may be of particular concern to African-American women will be held Oct. 27-28 at the Holiday Inn - Portsmouth Waterfront.
The conference is part of Project HAIR, which stands for HIV/AIDS Information Resource, a program that utilizes beauty salons to educate black women about HIV infection and AIDS.
Since January of last year, local beauticians that cater to an African-American clientele have been trained to provide their female customers with life-saving information during salon visits.
According to Regina Clemons, a Red Cross HIV/AIDS coordinator, Project HAIR was started because of the high rate of increase in HIV infection in African-American females.
``It was pertinent that we get the information to them,'' said Clemons, ``but then the concern also arose as to whether or not the women were empowered to use that information. And that's where the conference comes in.''
Conferences, held twice a year, are sponsored by the Portsmouth/West Chesapeake Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Friday's program starts with a networking session from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by dinner and a talk from 7 to 9 p.m. on ``Ethics and Empowerment'' by Dorothy Triplett from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
Saturday's conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. with registration and opening remarks. Participants will then break off into one of three workshops for which they have previously registered.
``We're looking at doing some more technical information in the morning with our health prevention workshops on heart disease, breast and cervical cancer and HIV,'' said Clemons.
The sessions, scheduled for 9:30 to 11:15 a.m., include: ``Protecting Our Bodies,'' a discussion of sexually transmitted diseases and the relationship to HIV infection; ``Heart Disease Among Black Females,'' which identifies risk factors involved in heart disease; and ``Breast and Cervical Cancer,'' which discusses methods of early detection.
``In these workshops, there will be much more technical information where women can begin to look at all risk factors and learn some prevention measures at the same time,'' said Clemons.
A break for lunch at 11:30 a.m. will include guest speaker Sonya Hunt Gray of the Office of Minority Health in Rockville, Md., who will discuss ``A Holistic Approach to Optimal Health.''
Afternoon workshops will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and concentrate on more personal issues, like ``The Power of Intimacy,'' ``Self-Image and Esteem Building,'' and ``Mind, Body and Soul.''
``In looking at those workshops, we wanted to design it so that women were getting pertinent information that they needed in terms of preventive health care,'' said Clemons.
``But we also wanted to focus on empowering them to make safer choices in regard to their own health, in regard to their lifestyles, in regard to choosing partners and just that whole issue of priority setting.''
The conference will conclude with a women's networking session from 2:45 to 4 p.m. Admission is $25.
``We still have some open registration available,'' said Clemons, who is expecting about 100 participants.
``We're just hoping women come out and enjoy the fellowship with other women and gain some information and knowledge that not only they can use, but also they can take back to their families.''
Call 393-1031 for registration information. by CNB