UCSF

A recent study has shown a statistically significant increase in the incidence of Asian Pacific Islanders (API) diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (Adih, Campsmith, Williams, Hardnett, & Hughes, 2011). 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 living with HIV/AIDS (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. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how API-LWHA seek information regarding their illness. Individual 1-hour interviews were conducted with API-LWHA who were recruited from the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center (APIWC) in San Francisco. 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. Thematic analysis was applied to identify emerging themes. Professional health care workers, social networks, and media (i.e., Internet and printed media) were the primary sources of information. The types of information participants sought, included general HIV topics, HIV medications, and the use of condoms and clean needles--among other topics. Although the sample size is small and recruitment came from a single community-based organization (CBO), the study's findings reveal ways that API-LWHA seek information. This study adds to the body of literature regarding ways that health care providers can enrich their contact with this population through health care, education, research, and policy development. Further studies must be done in order to expand the literature on health literacy and API-LWHA and therefore gain a deeper understanding of the ways API-LWHA explores information regarding their illness.