title: Reducing health disparities through culturally sensitive treatment for HIV+ adults in Haiti.
abstract: There is a critical need to deliver empirically validated interventions to underserved populations. Haiti, the country most heavily affected by the AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, accounts for approximately 50% of all cases in the region. Poverty, disparities in access to healthcare, and socio-political instability are among the reasons why the country has been ravaged by the disease. Ongoing projects in Haiti have shown that integrated prevention and care in resource poor settings are feasible and can be successful, as evidenced by a 50% drop in incidence among pregnant women since 1993. The AIDS prevention program has embarked on a comprehensive effort to culturally adapt a cognitive-behavioral stress management program for Haitian HIV+ individuals. The purpose of the program is to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication, reduce transmission to uninfected partners, and improve coping. This comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure the validity of the cross-cultural adaptation of this intervention.
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, AIDS Prevention Program, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Jessy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Devieux
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Malow
authors.forename: Michele M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jean-Gilles
authors.forename: Deanne M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Marie-Marcelle
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: Maxi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ascencio
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jean-Baptiste
authors.forename: Jean William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pape
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003906:Developing Countries; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D019303:Multilingualism; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents