A profile of six community-based HIV prevention programs targeting Asian and Pacific Islander Americans

Based on a framework (i.e., research and evaluation, prevention and services, and advocacy and policy), the goal of this article is to profile six community-based HIV prevention programs targeting Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Americans, especially among men who have sex with men. These six programs were chosen based on one or more of the following three criteria: (a) epidemiological profiles of AIDS cases among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, (b) ethnic diversity, and (b) community development among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the fight against HIV. The six programs are (a) the Kokua Kalih Valley Health Center, Honolulu; (b) the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center, San Francisco; (c) the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, Los Angeles; (d) the Asian and Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV and AIDS, New York City; (e) the AIDS Services in Asian Communities, Philadelphia; and (f) the Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project, Boston. The present analysis reveals that five programs have their roots in the gay or bisexual communities. Two programs have existed for about 3 years (the epidemic is going into its 17th year). Major financial support for the six programs are federal, state, or county sources; private support is generally minimal. All six programs offer a wide range of culturally competent and linguistically appropriate prevention activities and services (including two national projects) targeting a diverse API population. However, gaps in services exist in the younger programs. In addition to a paucity of epidemiological, surveillance, and empirical data, most reported that barriers fall into one or two interrelated categories: (a) structural (e.g., lack of governmental or private funding) or (b) cultural (e.g., denial of risk, homophobia, fear of confidentiality). These findings suggest that HIV prevention activities and services for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans should be based on empirical and cultural data, and that API Americans should become more actively involved in social and political activities. Asian and Pacific Islander American agencies are challenged to integrate HIV with other health and social issues pertinent to the communities.