Module 3: Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among Native Communities

Goal of Module 3:
To help you identify how and why HIV/AIDS spreads in your Native community in order to strengthen your intervention.

Epidemiology is the study of the ways in which a disease progresses through a population. In order to plan and carry out an effective intervention, you must understand how and why people in your community become infected with and spread HIV.

In this module, you will find:

  • an article on epidemiology as it relates to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians
  • Fast Facts that offer useful statistics and information
  • Fact Sheets that offer statistics for specific Native populations
  • resources for further research on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS
  • exercises that provide steps toward learning about epidemiology in your community

 
Contents 2e Care and Treatment Issues
1.

Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among AI/AN/NHs:


2. Fast Facts about the Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS for AI/AN/NHs:
3. Fact Sheets
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Alaska
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Arizona
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in California
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in Minnesota
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in New Mexico
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in New York
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in North Carolina
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Oklahoma
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in Washington
4. Finding Data
4a. Resources
4b. Module 3 Exercises
  • American Indians and Alaska Natives represented only 1% of all clients receiving Ryan White Care Act services in 2002 and less than 1% of all ADAP clients in 2004. 35,36
  • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance aggregate data for 2000-2003 found that among Native Hawaiians in Hawaii: 37
    • When asked whether medical treatments are available to help an HIV+ person live longer, 78% said yes, 5% said no, and 17% did not know.
  • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance aggregate data for 2000-2003 found that among Native Hawaiians in Hawaii, only 40% of respondents had ever been tested for HIV; 82% of those individuals were tested in 2001 or earlier. This data shows low and infrequent testing rates. 37

35 Health Resources and Services Administration, HIV/AIDS Bureau. Ryan White Care Act Annual Data Summary, 2002. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2004.

36 Kaiser Family Foundation and NASTAD. National ADAP Monitoring Project: Annual Report; 2005.

37 Salvail, FR, Nguyen D, Huang T. 2001~2003 State of Hawaii, By Ethnicity—Hawaiian, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Hawaii Department of Health, Honolulu Hawaii. Accessed February 9, 2007: http://www.hawaii.gov/health/statistics/brfss/ethnicity/hawaiian/hawaiian123.html.