AEGiS-15IAC: Laying the groundwork for studying Asian Immigrant Community Institutions in New York City for HIV prevention: A systematic approach.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Laying the groundwork for studying Asian Immigrant Community Institutions in New York City for HIV prevention: A systematic approach.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. D10156)

Mantell J, Chin JJ, Bhagavan M, Luo X, Weiss L, Wu Y
New York Academy of Medicine, New York, United States

ISSUES: New York City (NYC) is home to substantial populations of Chinese and Indian immigrants who rely on immigrant community institutions for support and information. Yet little is known about the effect of the HIV epidemic on these populations, how community institutions have responded and the role they can play in HIV prevention. Studying these populations is complicated by their internal diversity and geographic dispersal and the institutional level of analysis. A systematic research approach requires multiple methods.

DESCRIPTION: Using internet listings and ethnic service directories we constructed a database of NYC Chinese and Indian community institutions. Institutions were classified according to their primary function, were mapped using GIS software, and were overlaid with census data showing proportion of Asian populations. There were 213 Indian/South Asian and 316 Chinese institutions clustered in 7 neighborhoods. A telephone survey with 125 institutions revealed that Chinese institutions were older and larger than Indian/South Asian institutions but less frequently formally incorporated. For the study's second phase, multi-lingual Indian and Chinese research assistants approached 20 selected institutions; after initial hesitation, most eventually agreed to participate in the study's next phase, which will involve in-depth interviews with institution members on institutional capacity to conduct HIV prevention activities.

LESSONS LEARNED: Asian community institutions in NYC serve large numbers of immigrants. Developing a database of institutions, using GIS software, and conducting brief telephone surveys were effective methods of learning about these institutions. Working with Indian and Chinese immigrant researchers and participating in institutional activities facilitated entry into these institutions.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Community institutions are under-utilized but important partners in the fight against HIV in immigrant communities. Efforts should be made to partner with these institutions to implement preventive interventions.

Keywords: AEGIS, New York City, Emigration and Immigration, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, HIV Infections, Asian Americans, Social Environment, HIV Seropositivity, Data Collection, Ethnic Groups, Interviews, prevention & control, classification

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