The purpose of this study was to collect information on Asian and Pacific Islander women and HIV/AIDS and STDs through a national API working group. With the knowledge that all sexually active women are at risk for HIV infection, we wanted focus on the needs of women who are at greater risk due to their barriers to seeking health services(e.g. lack of health insurance, limited English speaking , low income, etc.) HIV risk behaviors, factors contributing to those behaviors (e.g, misinformation about HIV/AIDS, injection drug use, multiple partners, etc.) and barriers to HIV prevention (e.g. occupation, domestic violence and gang affiliation, etc.). We conducted more than 15 focus groups and in-depth interviews across the U.S. (California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, District of Columbia and Hawaii) and its Pacific jurisdictions (Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau Islands). The preliminary results show overall that HIV was not a main health concern, most women do not feel comfortable talking to their doctors about sexual health, and domestic violence is not an unfamiliar issue to these women. For HIV prevention interventions to be successful, programs have to be tailored to the specific needs of Asian and Pacific Islander women in terms of where they live, class, sexual orientation, age, and culture. Finally, there is a need to change the social norms around discussing sex and sexuality between partners, within families and even in the community.
Learning Objectives: Understand the risk factors and barriers for HIV prevention intervention for API women
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Asian and Pacific Islander Women
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.