Optimizing care for African-American HIV-positive patients.
The African-American community has been disproportionately affected HIV/AIDS, as noted by higher reported rates of HIV infection, higher proportion of AIDS cases, and more deaths caused by complications of AIDS than whites and other ethnic groups. In addition, epidemiologic trends suggest that African Americans with HIV infection are more often diagnosed later in the course of HIV disease than whites. Numerous reasons account for this disparity, including the lack of perception of risk and knowledge about HIV transmission as well as a delays in HIV testing and diagnosis in the African-American community. Understanding the important considerations in the management of HIV infection in the African-American patient may create awareness among health care professionals and broaden the knowledge of HIV-infected patients within the African-American community.
Smith
Kimberly Y
KY
Rush Medical College and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. ksmith2@rush.edu
Brutus
Andre
A
Cathcart
Ronald
R
Gathe
Joseph
J
Johnson
William
W
Jordan
Wilbert
W
Kwakwa
Helena A
HA
Nkwanyou
Joseph
J
Page
Carlos
C
Scott
Robert
R
Vaughn
Anita C
AC
Virgil
Luther A
LA
Williamson
Diana
D
D001741:Black or African American; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology