HIV testing and awareness of care-related services among a group of HIV-positive Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States: findings from a supplemental HIV/AIDS surveillance project.
Compared with other racial/ethnic groups in the United States, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are more likely to be at an advanced stage of AIDS disease and have opportunistic infections at the time of diagnosis. However, it is not clear how these two findings are related to issues such as HIV testing and access to HIV care-related services. We examined HIV testing and awareness of care-related services among a group of HIV-positive AAPIs in the United States. Data are from a multisite supplemental surveillance project, 1990-1999. Compared with Whites, a higher percentage of AAPIs cited "illness" as the main reason for HIV testing and had their tests done as a hospital inpatients--although these differences were not statistically significant. A significantly lower percentage of AAPIs than Whites were aware of their current CD4 count; AAPIs also had significantly lower awareness about a number of care-related services. Among AAPIs, educational level was positively associated with awareness of these services. Efforts are needed to promote service availability among HIV-positive AAPIs.
Wong
Frank Y
FY
School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. fyw@georgetown.edu
Campsmith
Michael L
ML
Nakamura
Glenn V
GV
Crepaz
Nicole
N
Begley
Elin
E
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology