title: Strategies to Improve HIV Testing in African Americans.
abstract: Only 17% of Miami-Dade County residents are African American, yet this population accounts for 59% of the county's HIV-related mortality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend annual testing for persons at increased risk for HIV, but 40% of African Americans have never been tested. OraQuick® (OraSure Technologies, Inc., Bethlehem, PA), the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved home-based HIV rapid test (HBHRT), has the potential to increase testing rates; however, there are concerns about HBHRT in vulnerable populations. We conducted focus groups in an underserved Miami neighborhood to obtain community input regarding HBHRT as a potential mechanism to increase HIV testing in African Americans. We queried HIV knowledge, attitudes toward research, and preferred intervention methods. Several HIV misconceptions were identified, and participants expressed support for HIV research and introducing HBHRT into the community by culturally appropriate individuals trained to provide support. We concluded that community health workers paired with HBHRT were a promising strategy to increase HIV testing in this population.
authors.forename: Sonjia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kenya
authors.forename: Ikenna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: Kiera
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Olveen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Carrasquillo
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prado
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003150:Community Health Workers; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African Americans; HIV; HIV rapid testing; community health workers (CHW); focus groups