Rural residents' perceptions of HIV/AIDS service quality, access to care and health disparities: Findings from a Public Health Training Center's needs assessment

Florida continues to struggle with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, despite the availability of programs and services geared towards prevention and the accessibility to care for those living with HIV/AIDS. When compared to other states across the US, Florida had a higher incidence of HIV/AIDS cases and in 2012, Florida ranked third in the nation for AIDS diagnosis. Identifying the needs of the workforce and of residents of medically underserved areas is a goal of the Rural South Public Health Training Center (RSPHTC). Funded by HRSA, the RSPHTC seeks to improve public health services and reduce disparities in access care, in regards to HIV/AIDS. A needs assessment was conducted involving 10 key informants from various rural community-based agencies. The interviews explored the perceptions of service quality, health and access disparities. During the content analysis several key themes emerged: 1)There is a lack of information, awareness, and/or resources about HIV/AIDS in the community, which calls for a need to increase education, outreach testing and marketing materials in the community to address the stigma and cultural misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS; 2) Financial burdens such as a fee for HIV/AIDS services limited access to care and; 3) Lack of transportation was a major barrier to HIV/AIDS services and treatment. Findings indicate that HIV/AIDS disparities persist in rural communities. Socio-ecological factors such as education, community-based HIV/AIDS testing resources, economic resources and transportation must be addressed in order to curb the epidemic in resource-limited, rural communities.