INFORMATION SEEKING IN ASIANS–PACIFIC ISLANDERS WITH HIV/AIDS
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how Asian and Pacific Islanders living with HIV (API–LWHA) seek information regarding their illness.
Rationale/Conceptual Basis/Background
Adih, Campsmith, Williams, Hardnett and Hughes (2011) found a statistically significant increase in the incidence of Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Although the national prevalence of HIV/AIDS among API is lower than that among other groups, the expected increase of HIV/AIDS in the API population—18 million in 2012 to 40 million by the year 2050—signifies a public health risk. The dearth of studies on API¬LWHA and health literacy represents a collective knowledge gap that impinges on prevention strategies, research efforts, policy development, and the lives of API–LWHA.
Methods
Individual 1-hour interviews were conducted with API–LWHA who were recruited from the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center (APIWC) in San Francisco. Each interview was audio taped and transcribed. The interviews provided a forum for exploring sources, types of information, and participant self-evaluation of the process used to seek information. Eight participants self-identified as API–LWHA completed the interview. Constructivist grounded theory was used to reduce these data to themes.
Results
Participants sought out various types of information from various sources. Professional health care workers, social networks, and media (i.e., Internet and printed media) were the primary sources of information. The types of information sought varied by person. Participants sought information regarding general HIV topics, HIV medications, and the use of condoms and clean needles. Health care providers were utilized for information regarding HIV medications. Participants also triangulated information from friends, health providers and social media. The finding that study participants trusted their health care provider more than they trusted less formal sources has implications for health care professionals—in particular, nurses, who play a key role in educating their patients.
Implications
Given that various sources are used by API-LWHA to seek information regarding their illness, nurses and health care providers are in an optimal position in which to be involved in this process. As education for health is important in health outcomes, nurses and health providers must find ways in which to be increase the effectiveness of participant-provider communication and improve ways in which to make information more accessible and applicable to API-LWHA. Not only are nurses and health care providers sources of information, nurses and other health care providers may need to substantiate information that people get from other sources. It is important that API-LWHA receive reliable, updated and culturally sensitive information from all sources. The responsibility of tailoring information so that the specific population of API–LWHA can understand, process and act on the information falls to the nurses and health care providers.