NEW YORK CITY, Oct. 27--Religious institutions serving New York City's Asian immigrants are not educating their congregations about HIV prevention and healthcare, in part because some leaders hold stigma and fear about the disease, according to a new study by The New York Academy of Medicine in the upcoming issue of the international journal AIDS Education and Prevention. This special issue devoted to Asians/Pacific Islanders and HIV is being published this week.

These institutions are missing a vital opportunity to reach masses of immigrants for whom a temple or mosque is the only connection with a formal support system and therefore a potentially critical source of life-saving health information, said lead author John J. Chin, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate in the Academy Division of Health Policy. "Religious institutions in Asian immigrant communities are very influential and in a unique position to confront the challenges of the HIV epidemic for the communities they serve," Chin said. "The conversation about HIV is often nonexistent among Asian immigrants, and religious institutions need to take the lead to change that to prevent transmission in their communities, and assist those who are already infected."

Academy scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health conducted 17 in-depth interviews with leaders and members of a Buddhist temple in Chinatown, a Hindu temple in Queens, and an Islamic center and mosque in Queens. All immigrants interviewed were from China, India, or Bangladesh. Researchers speaking in English, Mandarin, or Urdu assessed each person's knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitudes toward the disease, and willingness to be involved in HIV-related services. This is the first systematic study of Asian immigrant religious institutions' willingness to take a role in HIV prevention or care in the United States.

The findings were striking. Some leaders of Asian religious institutions said they
'"/>

Contact: Kathryn Cervino
kcervino@nyam.org
212-822-7285
New York Academy of Medicine
27-Oct-2005

Page: 1 2 3
Related medicine news :

1. Conventional prognostic factors fail to explain better prostate cancer survival in most Asian men
2. RAND study finds adolescent Asian immigrants improve their good health habits over time
3. Obesity a growing problem in the Indo-Asian population
4. South Asian men suffer more urinary problems than white men but are less likely to seek help
5. Vitamin D supplements should be given to Asian children for two years from birth
6. Green tea and the Asian Paradox
7. High hepatitis B infection rate found among NYCs Asian American community
8. Smoking may cause far more cancer deaths in Asian Americans than previously recognized
9. Top cancer organizations launch first online portal of Asian language cancer information
10. Novel strategies needed to boost cancer clinical trial participation among blacks and Asians
11. Largest ever Asian smoking study reveals cardiovascular health risks