While substantial progress has been made in treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) continue to be overlooked in the development of HIV prevention strategies. However, within this population is a hidden epidemic in which AI/AN experience significant HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) disparities including elevated rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia and a greater likelihood of having an undiagnosed HIV infection. As a result, AI/AN populations are at an increased risk for widespread transmission of HIV. To avert potential infections, high impact prevention strategies are needed for AI/AN communities. Expanding upon a long-term research partnership between Indian Health Council, a 9- tribe consortium, this community-based study will examine HIV/STI awareness and will identify strategies for delivering HIV/STI prevention in rural reservation communities of San Diego County. Through a combination of qualitative (key informant interviews and focus groups) and quantitative methods (cross-sectional surveys) we propose the following Aims: 1) examine community-level HIV/STI risk perception, 2) identify the feasibility and acceptability of using various platforms to deliver HIV/STI prevention education, 3) assess individual and social/structural conditions affecting HIV/STI-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors and 4) identify the local-level infrastructure and resources needed to implement HIV/STI prevention efforts. We include STI given the overlapping trends between HIV and STI and these trends may be useful in guiding prevention efforts among AI/AN. Overall, this innovative study will provide critically needed data on enhancing HIV/STI awareness among AI/AN by gaining clarity about local-level conditions in rural reservation-based communities that collectively shape HIV/STI knowledge and prevention. As a result we will identify strategies for delivering HIV/STI health promotion interventions that are grounded in the local culture of tribal communities in San Diego County while also fostering a multidisciplinary collaboration among a cadre of American Indian researchers.
While substantial progress has been made in treating HIV, American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) continue to be overlooked in the development of HIV prevention strategies. This community-based study will examine HIV/STI awareness among AI/AN in San Diego County and will identify strategies for delivering HIV/STI prevention strategies in rural reservation settings.
| Delange, Nicole; Lindsay, Suzanne; Lemus, Hector et al. (2018) Periodontal disease and its connection to systemic biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in young American Indian/Alaskan natives. J Periodontol 89:219-227 |
