Friday, May 19th marks National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2022, a day dedicated to reducing HIV stigma in Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities and promote prevention, testing and treatment. NAPIHAAD was first observed in 2005 and falls during National Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

API folks often face specific barriers to accessing care. Racist stereotypes, such as the “model minority” myth, can contribute to API communities being overlooked or invisible when it comes to HIV prevention and treatment strategies. Language and cultural barriers, medical racism, as well as issues of immigration may also pose barriers to accessing resources.

According to the CDC, 66.5% of Asian Americans and 43.1% of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) have never been tested for HIV.  Gay and bisexual men accounted for 65% (35) of HIV diagnoses among NHOPI in 2016, and HIV diagnoses increased 51% (from 55 to 83) among NHOPI overall from 2011 to 2015 in the United States and six dependent areas. In 2015, an estimated 1,100 NHOPI were living with HIV; 82% had received a diagnosis, and, as of 2014, 60% received HIV medical care, 43% were retained in care, and 50% had a suppressed viral load.

In addition to API communities in the US, it is important to acknowledge that HIV remains a challenge in various parts of the Asia and the Pacific, including Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. Worldwide, API communities will benefit from increased representation in HIV research efforts, culturally responsive healthcare, and the development of an effective HIV vaccine.

Interested in HIV testing? Click here to learn more about HIV testing at CAP. Want to get connected to PrEP? Learn about PrEP navigation at CAP.

About Cascade AIDS Project

CAP is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1985 as a grassroots response to the AIDS crisis. As the oldest and largest community-based HIV services provider in Oregon and southwest Washington, we seek to support and empower all people with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community with compassionate healthcare. We do so by helping to ensure the health and well-being of our program participants each year through health, housing, and other social services. When the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally affirming primary care services was identified as a community need, we responded by opening Prism Health in 2017.  More information can be found at www.capnw.org.