A Critical Review and Commentary on the Challenges in Engaging HIV-Infected Latinos in the Continuum of HIV Care

• Published in: AIDS and behavior Vol. 22; no. 8; pp. 2500 - 2512
• Main Authors: Levison, Julie H., Levinson, Julia K., Alegría, Margarita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral drugs; Antiretroviral therapy; Cultural factors; Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology; Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data; Ethnicity; Health behavior; Health Psychology; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - ethnology; HIV Infections - therapy; Homophobia - ethnology; Homophobia - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Intervention; Latin American cultural groups; Literature reviews; Medical treatment; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mens health; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Patient compliance; Populations; Prescription drugs; Public Health; Social Stigma; Substantive Review; Treatment outcomes; United States; United States; United States > US; HIV/AIDS; Adherence; Access to care; Engagement in care; Latinos
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2187-1
• ISSN: 1090-7165

Antiretroviral therapy for treatment of HIV infection has become increasingly effective. Persistent poor HIV outcomes in racial and ethnic minority populations in the US call for a closer examination into why Latinos are at significant risk for acquiring and dying from HIV. To improve clinical outcomes and achieve an AIDS-free generation, HIV research must address disparities in HIV outcomes in Latinos, the largest ethnic/racial minority population in the US. Immigrant status as well as cultural factors influence HIV care utilization and are essential to highlight for effective intervention development in Latinos. A better understanding of these individual and contextual factors is critical to developing tailored approaches to engaging Latinos in HIV care. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we offer a framework for understanding what is needed from clinical practice and research to improve engagement in HIV care for US-based Latinos. These findings may have implications for other minority populations.