Research at
Gallaudet University
2005 - 2006

Survey of STI (Included HIV) Programs for People with Disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean

Status: Ongoing Begin date: October 1, 2005 End date: No set date

Description

The study explores the opinions of professionals working in the field of STI/HIV/AIDS and will determine what STI/HIV/AIDS programming currently exists for people with disabilities through national, regional, and local agencies--both private and public--throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The study will raise public awareness of the need to target people with disabilities within STI/HIV/AIDS programs; will inform the researchers and all participants of existing programs for networking and sharing purposes; and the data will prove the need for STI/HIV/AIDS programs for people with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean to support program funding from international/national organizations. Exploratory cross-sectional surveys sent to a convenience sample of professionals working in the area of STI/HIV/AIDS in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. These professionals include those working within nongovernmental organizations, community, private or public practice, and international organizations.
 
The grant has allowed the investigators to collect all of the data and input it into SPSS Software. They are analyzing the data and are looking for possible predictors of opinions towards the need of including people with disabilities in STI/HIV programs related to the existence of people with disabilities in their place of work or in their families. Initial results show that people with disabilities are rarely included in national or local programs but that most administrators are willing to open their programs to this marginalized group.

Investigators