180619 HIV and AIDS prevention needs of Latinos and service providers in California

Monday, October 27, 2008

Stacy A. Morey, MPH , Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Rosalinda Cano-Hays, RN , Project Concern International, National City, CA
Ann Fitzgerald, MPH , Project Concern International, National City, CA
Ted C. Morrison, PhD, MPH , Project Concern International, National City, CA
Enrique Gomez, MD , Project Concern International, National City, CA
Thomas Donohoe, MBA , University of California at Los Angeles Pacific AIDS Education Training Center, Los Angeles, CA
Joel Peisinger , University of California at Los Angeles Pacific AIDS Education Training Center, Los Angeles, CA
Arturo Hernandez, MAS , Desert AIDS Project, Palm Springs, CA
Jaime Carillo , Harder+Company Community Research, San Diego, CA
Blanca Lomeli, MD , Medicina Social Comunitaria, Tijuana, Mexico
Ronald Mataya, MD , Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Juan Carlos Belliard, PhD, MPH , Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Background: California ranks second in the country for the largest number of Latinos estimated to be living with HIV and AIDS. California Office of AIDS funded Project Concern International to conduct a needs assessment to map gaps in prevention services and identify technical assistance and capacity building needs of HIV and AIDS providers in order to improve their ability to effectively serve Latinos.

Methods: HIV and AIDS prevention and care providers in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Imperial/Coachella Valley, and Central Valley participated in key informant interviews, surveys, provider interviews, and focus groups. Latino clients at-risk and living with HIV and AIDS in these areas also participated in focus groups.

Results: The key prevention and care issues for Latinos identified by providers were the need for: local or subsidized trainings, organizational capacity building, coordination and collaboration among providers, Latino leadership, cultural competency among providers, and evidenced based interventions specific to Latinos. Reported challenges included: decreased funding; recruiting and retaining bilingual and bicultural staff; a highly mobile target population; and balancing the needs of multiple risk groups. Clients identified accessibility of services; competing life priorities; cultural competency of providers; stigma; cultural issues; access to insurance and medical care; transportation; and immigration status.

Conclusion: Recommendations for training and technical assistance are to: increase collaboration between agencies and regions, increase organizational capacity and basic HIV, AIDS, and cultural competency training, address stigma, tailor prevention messages to Latino populations most at-risk, and improve access to testing in rural areas.

Learning Objectives:
Identify the key prevention and care challenges for Latinos at-risk and living with HIV and AIDS in California. Develop strategies to improve HIV and AIDS service delivery to Latinos.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Latinos

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was involved in the needs assessment/study and wrote the abstract content.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Perspectives in Reproductive Health: Youth, Women, HIV/AIDS/STI
See more of: APHA-Student Assembly