Language and Culture in Health Literacy for People Living with HIV: Perspectives of Health Care Providers and Professional Care Team Members

• Published in: AIDS Research and Treatment Vol. 2016; pp. 5015707 - 10
• Main Authors: Mogobe, Keitshokile Dintle, Shaibu, Sheila, Matshediso, Ellah, Sabone, Motshedisi, Ntsayagae, Esther, Nicholas, Patrice K., Portillo, Carmen J., Corless, Inge B., Rose, Carol Dawson, Johnson, Mallory O., Webel, Allison, Cuca, Yvette, Rivero-Méndez, Marta, Solís Báez, Solymar S., Nokes, Kathleen, Reyes, Darcel, Kemppainen, Jeanne, Reid, Paula, Sanzero Eller, Lucille, Lindgren, Teri, Holzemer, William L., Wantland, Dean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Hindawi Limiteds 01.01.2016; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; Hindawi Limited; Wiley
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Analysis; Antiretroviral drugs; Care and treatment; Clinical outcomes; Demographic aspects; Education; Health care access; Health education; Health literacy; HIV; HIV patients; Human immunodeficiency virus; Language; Nursing care; Nursing schools; Professions; Researchers; United States; San Francisco California
• ISSN: 2090-1240; 2090-1259
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/5015707

Low health literacy has been linked to inadequate engagement in care and may serve as a contributor to poor health outcomes among people living with HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this paper was to examine the perspectives of health care providers and professional care team members regarding health literacy in HIV disease. A secondary data analysis was conducted from a qualitative study aimed at understanding factors that help an HIV positive person to manage their HIV disease. Data were collected from sites in Botswana, the US, and Puerto Rico. In the parent study, data were collected through focus group discussions with 135 people living with HIV, 32 HIV health care providers (HCPs), and 39 HIV professional care team members (PCTMs). SPSS was used to analyze quantitative data while ATLAS.ti was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings from analyses of the perspectives of HCPs/PCTMs suggested that linguistic and cultural factors were important themes in the exchange of HIV information between health care providers and PLHIV. These themes included ineffective communication, health seeking behavior, cultural facilitators, and complementary and alternative/traditional healing methods. Thus, this study suggests that language and culture have a major role in health literacy for PLHIV.