Health care seeking for HIV/AIDS among South Asians in the United States

Health Soc Work. 2004 May;29(2):106-15. doi: 10.1093/hsw/29.2.106.

Abstract

Health-related behavior is a function of the sociocultural and environmental contexts in which it occurs. With South Asian immigrants, a comprehensive approach that focuses on community and individual factors may be more effective than an individualistic one. This article explores the factors that may influence HIV/AIDS-related health care seeking by South Asian immigrants to the United States. It focuses on South Asians from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The need to involve the community in any intervention process is discussed. An understanding of the determinants of HIV-related health care seeking and behavioral change factors can help social work practitioners develop effective interventions for and with South Asian immigrants.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Asian / psychology*
  • Bangladesh / ethnology
  • Community Participation
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • HIV Infections / ethnology*
  • HIV Infections / psychology
  • Health Behavior / ethnology
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • India / ethnology
  • Pakistan / ethnology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Social Work
  • Spirituality
  • United States