title: HIV/AIDS in the rural United States: epidemiology and health services delivery.
abstract: This integrated research review addresses the epidemiology of rural human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and the organization, financing, and delivery of health services for rural persons living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHIVs, PLWAs). Several abstracting services, indexing services, and bibliographies were searched. An annotation form served as the guideline for data extraction. Several conclusions emerged from this review. Epidemiological evidence indicates that there has been a dramatic increase in the relative proportion of rural HIV/AIDS incident cases over the past 5 years. Explanations for the rural increase focus on injection drug use, heterosexual behavior, and sexually transmitted disease levels. Dramatically elevated rates of infection in rural Black women are indicated. Rural areas experience important levels of in-migration of HIV/AIDS-infected individuals. The health services literature suggests that rural providers and institutions have limited resources and little experience with PLWHIVs or PLWAs.
authors.affiliation: Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Family Medicine, NY 14215, USA.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Forrester
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wysong
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000639:trends*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology