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A Forgotten Population: Addressing Comprehensive HIV Prevention Needs Among American Asians and Pacific Islanders

2010; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 21; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jana.2009.11.006

1552-6917

Todd M. Sabato, Alexis Q. Silverio,

Sex work and related issues

Todd M. Sabato, PhD, is assistant professor, Department of Health Sciences, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia; Alexis Q. Silverio is executive director, Guam HIV/AIDS Network Project, Barrigada, Guam. American Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) have unique and diverse cultures that are misunderstood by many health care professionals. There are approximately 14.9 million API living in the United States made up of more than 49 ethnic groups and speaking more than 100 languages and dialects (Yu, 1999). The many ethnicities within the population labeled API make it difficult to identify the scope of the HIV/ AIDS problem under today’s system of classification. Throughout the evolution of the health care system, API populations, as with other minorities, have experienced a less than adequate amount of attention with regard to specific and culturally appropriate treatment and prevention programs. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the area of HIV prevention and treatment. In 2008, in a historically unprecedented move, more than 30 national HIV-focused organizations and leaders representing African American, Latino, Native American or Alaska Native, and Asian and Pacific Islander communities joined forces in an urgent call for the development and implementation of a comprehensive national AIDS strategy. The call stated a compelling need among communities of color, as well as federal and state organizations and community health care providers, to work together in an effort to fight the HIV epidemic and bring awareness to community members (National Minority AIDS Council [NMAC], 2008). Although they represent only 30% of the U.S. population, updated estimates from the Centers for Disease Control