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.
Rush Medical College and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. ksmith2@rush.edu
Kimberly Y
KY
Smith
Andre
A
Brutus
Ronald
R
Cathcart
Joseph
J
Gathe
William
W
Johnson
Wilbert
W
Jordan
Helena A
HA
Kwakwa
Joseph
J
Nkwanyou
Carlos
C
Page
Robert
R
Scott
Anita C
AC
Vaughn
Luther A
LA
Virgil
Diana
D
Williamson
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