ABSTRACT
Asians and Pacific Islanders (A/PI) are the fastest growing cultural groups in the United States. As human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) “began its horrific pandemic march, spreading with surprising efficiency in just a few years to virtually every country on the face of the earth”, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is invisible to A/PIs in the United States. In terms of HIV/AIDS education and prevention for Asians and Pacific Islanders, very little is known. The chapter examines research related to HIV/AIDS education for Asians, and addresses the implications of these findings for HIV education and prevention programs for A/PI communities in this country. Integrating elements from several models of health behavior change including the health belief model, self-efficacy theory, fear arousal and attitude change, diffusion of innovation model, and help-seeking models, J. A. Catania and his colleagues presented a framework for examining people’s efforts to reduce their risk to HIV infection.
