Subject(s)
Clinical Trials as Topic , Comprehension , Consent Forms , Informed Consent , AIDS Vaccines , Adolescent , Adult , Female , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Haiti , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Poverty , Young AdultABSTRACT
Traditional healer and/or spiritual counselor (TH/SC) use has been associated with delays in HIV testing. We examined HIV-infected individuals in southwestern Uganda to test the hypothesis that TH/SC use was also associated with lower CD4 counts at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Approximately 450 individuals initiating ART through an HIV/AIDS clinic at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) were recruited to participate. Patients were predominantly female, ranged in age from 18 to 75, and had a median CD4 count of 130. TH/SC use was not associated with lower CD4 cell count, but age and quality-of-life physical health summary score were associated with CD4 cell count at initiation while asset index was negatively associated with CD4 count at ART initiation. These findings suggest that TH/SC use does not delay initiation of ART.
Subject(s)
Anti-Retroviral Agents/therapeutic use , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Medicine, African Traditional/statistics & numerical data , Rural Population , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Cohort Studies , Drug Administration Schedule , Female , HIV Infections/virology , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Male , Medicine, African Traditional/methods , Middle Aged , Quality of Life , Regression Analysis , Risk Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time Factors , Uganda , Viral Load , Young AdultABSTRACT
This study examines attitudes of Mexican female immigrants to Albuquerque, New Mexico, regarding barriers to health care access in the United States and Mexico for stigmatizing and non-stigmatizing illnesses and moderating effects of social support. Native Spanish speakers conducted three focus groups (in Spanish) lasting two hours with seven to eight participants. Focus groups were transcribed, translated, and coded. Frequency data were calculated by number of times concepts or themes were raised. Comparisons of barriers to health care access were made between U.S. and Mexican cultures. The majority (86%) of comments on barriers for non-stigmatizing illnesses implicated U.S. culture; the majority (90%) for stigmatizing illnesses implicated Mexican culture. Social support for stigmatizing illnesses was discussed. Participants discussed important issues of health care access for stigmatizing illnesses that may have implications for this population's health status. Greater attention should be paid to stigma and social support in future empirical studies.
