In late 2019-early 2020, Dr. Vivian Carter, Chairperson of the Department of Sociology and Psychology, Tuskegee University, approached me about co-hosting a conference on HIV/AIDS and the Black Community at Tuskegee University. As Director of the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care (National Bioethics Center), I agreed. We invited a trans-disciplinary group of non-government agencies and organizations, community advocates, faith leaders, academicians, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominately-white institutions (PWIs), and people living with HIV/AIDS to the historic campus of Tuskegee University. They needed a trusted space and place to discuss the continuing rampage of HIV/AIDS and it disproportionate burden in the Black population. The infamous legacy of the United States Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee made Tuskegee University and specifically the National Bioethics Center the optimal place to have this dialogue.
The conference extended beyond the traditional topics of biomedical and behavioral research advancements and challenges in eliminating HIV/AIDS in the U.S. To have the greatest impact in the Black community, the conference needed to address additional issues. Thus, the title reflects the depth and breadth of HIV/AIDS in the Black Community and considers the legacy of Tuskegee University in addressing matters of health and healthcare in the Black population. The agreed upon title was, Lifting the Veil of HIV: Addressing the Implications of Medical Mistrust and Racism on Black Communities Impacted by HIV. Consistent with Black History Month, February 27–28, 2020 was selected for the conference. This conference also to commemorated National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
The conference was well attended and the presentations, deliberations, individual and group engagements were extraordinary. Rather than share the salient deliberations from the conference in a proceeding document, as is usually done, Gilead Science Inc. proposed publishing a Special Issue of HIV/AIDS and the Black Community in the Journal of Healthcare, Science, and the Humanities (JHSH). The JHSH is a peer review, PubMed journal, owned by the National Bioethics Center. This Special Issue addresses the plethora of challenges and opportunities, including public policy development, particularly related HIV/AIDS, and the Black Community.
In each edition of the JHSH, a summary of its contents is included in a section entitled, “From the Desk of the Editor.” The section summarizes the content of each article published in the specific edition. However, the emphasis of this Special Issue is not only on the content of the scholarly works included, but also on the importance of ethical partnerships between institutions and individuals to impact public policy related to HIV/AIDS and the Black Community. The Special Issue is a continuation of the February 27–28 conference, and a bridge to advance public policy that will end the disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS in the Black Community.
Harold J. Phillips MRP, Director White House Office of National AIDS Policy, provides an extraordinary Commentary entitled, Forty Years of Questions and Answers – What Will It Take to End the HIV Epidemic. The salient matters that he addresses set the tone the other materials included in this Issue. He stresses the importance of building trustworthy relationships between individuals within and outside of organizations, institutions, and agencies. For example, from the onset, Pema McGuinness, Director and Aquarius D. Gimmer, Associate Director, Corporate Policy and Alliances, Government Affairs Gilead Sciences, Inc., have been overwhelming in their support for this Special Issue. Along with the Tuskegee University team, they initially met bimonthly and more recently weekly, to discuss content and logistical matters related to the Special Issue. Their connection with the HIV/AIDS advocacy community is exemplary. The Tuskegee University team included, Dr. Vivian Cater, Chairperson of the Department of Sociology and Psychology and Guest Editor for this Special Issue, Dr. David A. Hodge, Senior Associate Editor for the Journal of Healthcare, Science and the Humanities and Associate Director of Education at the National Bioethics Center and Dr. Delores Alexander, Assistant Editor of the Journal of Healthcare, Science and the Humanities and Director of the Integrative Biosciences PhD Program, Dr. Darryl Scriven Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, Clarkson University, and Dr. Jasmine D. Ward, Black Ladies in Public Health. Additionally, Dr. Beverley Ebo and Dr Barry Williams assisted Dr. Hodge with logistical and editorial support. Dr. Davis Banks, served as computer software consultant in developing webinar support. Dr. Alicia Best, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, University of South Florida, completed a literature review of HIV/AIDS and the Black Community.
Since 2012, the JHSH is published biannual editions in the Fall and the Spring, consistent with two important events: the Annual Commemoration of the 1997 Presidential Apology for the United States Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee which includes, the Public Health Ethics Intensive Course, and the Public Health Ethics Forum co-sponsored with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This Special Issue of HIV/AIDS and the Black Community required an additional series of tasks and special assignments. Dr. David Hodge provided the overall leadership for this Special Issue. He coordinated the Call for Papers, solicited and encouraged manuscript submissions from a broad array of potential authors. He also facilitated the peer review process between the manuscript submissions from the authors and Dr. Scriven, organized timelines and updates for the overall publication effort, and confirmed deadlines for completion and distribution of electronic and hard copies of the Special Issue. Dr. Scriven managed the peer review process by soliciting a broad array of peer reviewers and assuring that the reviews were completed and submitted in a timely manner. There were approximately 28 abstracts submitted resulting in 26 being approved for full manuscript submission. Twenty manuscripts were approved for publication after a rigorous review process. The editorial staff makes every effort to assure the authors can publish their work. New, as well as more seasoned authors are encouraged to publish their work in the JHSH.
As you read the peer-reviewed article, commentaries, and other material in this Special Issue, three themes emerge, theology, science, and sociology. From my perspective, theology is the study of GOD, known by many names. At the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care, we synergize the sacred and the secular to enhance the well-being of the individuals, groups, and communities within their physical and social environment. For example, for the last 5 years, the National Bioethics Center has implemented the Tuskegee University & Macon County Bridge Builders Program to support and promote the wealth and well-being of 50 Macon County High School students. The Lilly Endowment Inc. funds the Program. The program expanded last year to include middle school students and will eventually become a permanent part of the National Bioethics Center education and community engagement activities. Science also is the focus of several articles, while acknowledging the importance of various forms of science they also stress the limitation of science in eliminating HIV/AIDS in the Black community. Science simply means and strives “to know.” However, when one knows better, they must do better. There is enough science to eliminate the health disparity between the Black population and the other racial and ethnic groups, related to the disproportionate suffering, sickness, and premature death from HIV/AIDS. One of the foci of JHSH, is science. We extend invitations to transdisciplinary scientists to publish their scholarship in the JHSH, to maximize what is known, to address the plethora of challenges and opportunities to improve individual and population health. The last theme, social, is foundational to address HIV/AIDS in the Black Community. This disease is grounded in social engagement and in my view, will be resolved by social engagement to assure the well-being of individuals, groups, and communities, regardless of demographic differences. I hope that this Special Issues will further advance what we know and what we do to create and advance public policy related to HIV/AIDS in the Black Community. Please enjoy this Special Issue.
Regards,
Rueben C. Warren