[BACK]
This month, while celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are reminded of the vast diversity present in America. It is hard to find a more visible example of that than Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who are one of the fastest-growing and most diverse populations in the United States, representing more than 40 cultures and more than 100 languages. As it turns out, the diversity within the Asian and Pacific Islander population is at the core of our challenge when it comes to fighting HIV/AIDS in this population. Given the many different cultures and languages that make up the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, we must overcome cultural and linguistic barriers if we are going to slow the spread of this devastating disease among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic has changed significantly in the past decade. Once thought to be largely a disease of gay white men, AIDS increasingly strikes across all racial, ethnic, and gender lines. Today, this devastating disease is declared an epidemic among all people, especially for racial and ethnic minorities, who accounted for 52 percent of the AIDS diagnosed in gay men in 1998. A decade prior to that, racial and ethnic minorities made up only 31 percent of new cases in gay and bisexual men.
In the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, HIV/AIDS has disproportionately impacted gay and bisexual men. A total of 77 percent of all AIDS cases among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are among men who have sex with men. Furthermore, in the 33 States and U.S. Jurisdictions reporting HIV infection from July 1998 to June 1999, men who have sex with men represent 55 percent of new HIV cases among Asian American and Pacific Islander males. It is significant to note that a large number of female Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are HIV positive or who have AIDS consistently report not knowing their at-risk status or report an unwillingness to divulge that information. Therefore, more needs to be known about the specific risk indicators for women in this population. We also know that most HIV/AIDS cases in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community (78 percent) occur in these five states: California, Hawaii, New York, Texas, and Washington. We believe that targeted research, prevention and treatment programs can significantly impact the HIV/AIDS fight in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
Also, family members and community leaders can help make real inroads in the battle against HIV/AIDS by working to overcome the stigma of the disease. It is this stigma that acts as a roadblock to many people getting tested, disclosing their HIV status, and from seeking treatment. In the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, this is especially true of women and gay and bisexual men who bear the hardest burden associated with stigma. We win the fight against HIV by attacking the virus rather than attacking the people infected with it. That means breaking down barriers and involving families and friends in the care and treatment of HIV-infected persons. All of us must get involved.
Nationally, we are working through The Leadership Campaign on AIDS to galvanize and support Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders to increase HIV/AIDS knowledge, awareness, and most importantly, action in local communities.
My office is also working in partnership with the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum to increase the awareness and responsiveness of national Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations and community leaders on HIV/AIDS prevention and care. The Health Forum is coordinating leadership and self-advocacy skills among people living with HIV/AIDS and is developing culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS information. For more information on these projects, you can contact the Health Forum online at http://www.apiahf.org or by phone at 1-415- 954-9988.
And, we welcome the opportunity to work with the newly appointed President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as it seeks to improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through increased participation in federal programs where they are undeserved. Most particularly, we look forward to working with Dr. David Ho, of the commission, who was named TIME magazine's Man of the Year in 1996 for his groundbreaking work in HIV research. He will prove to be an invaluable resource on the commission as they strive to develop strategies to improve health research and data collection and increase the level of public and private sector and community involvement to improve the health and well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander population.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played a key role in building a strong and successful America. The future is limitless, and we must not sit back and allow the devastation of HIV/AIDS to detract from the true potential of that future. For that reason, we must pledge now to work in partnership to educate, motivate, and mobilize against HIV/AIDS in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
[BACK]
HHS Health Agencies, Office of Minority Health
Surgeon General's Website
