The investigators are analyzing race differences in HIV positive test results from anonymous demographic data collected at the point of service for initial testing. The lab test were performed and demographic data was collected at government-funded clinics throughout the Midwest regions of the United States from January 2010 – December 2011 (retrospective data previously collected). Variables in the analysis include race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomics, status, age group, and education level.
Risk/Benefits
There is always going to be risk associated with any study, including this one such as where the people being used will tell the truth of what they really are or what they consider themselves being. HIV infection was estimated to be 7 times higher among African Americans and 3 times higher in Hispanics than among White Americans. African Americans comprise 47% of persons living with HIV, followed by Whites (34%) and Hispanics (17%). While the most prevalent mode of transmission for persons living with HIV infection continues to appear from same sex contact (MSM; 45%), high-risk heterosexual contact (27%) and injection drug use (22%) also contribute significantly to transmission (American Journal pp 136-147). Risk also includes living situations such as homelessness or unstable housing, psychological distress or co-occurring mental illness abuse in which can have a major impact on the data and most importantly the results.
When it comes to benefits of this study it could possibly help healthcare workers and providers know what information they need to focus on and what resources needed most to decrease the spread of the HIV not only for the ones that are higher at risk but for others around them. This study may also help decrease the stigma and discrimination that associated with this also well. By designing interventions to reduce stigma, important context- and culture-specific factors should be incorporated into the characterization of causes of stigma. By precisely quantifying the frequency of research growth, to incorporate a system-thinking perspective into the insights into HIV-related stigma and discrimination that have identified gaps, especially, about contextual factors (International journal of environmental research and public health, 16 pp11) to help improve knowledge, medicine that has been evidence-based to prevent or treat difference signs and symptoms of HIV.
Institutional Review Boards
This case study involves human participants, therefore requires review by the IRB. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews and approves all research involving human subjects to ensure that it is conducted in accordance with all federal, institutional, and ethical guidelines (Paulson, 2017). There are three different types of levels of IRB review such as Exempt, Full, and Expected. This case study would be considered the exempt level. There are different sub-categories at the exempt level of review. This research would be sub-category four – secondary research with identifiable information/specimens collected for some other initial activity taking in consideration all the data that is being used.

References:
Brooks, A. J., Lokhnygina, Y., Meade, C. S., Potter, J. S., Calsyn, D. A., & Greenfield, S. F. (2013). Racial/ethnic differences in the rates and correlates of HIV risk behaviors among drug abusers. The American journal on addictions, 22(2), 136–147. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.00303.x
Paulson, A. (2017, March 9). Institutional Review Board (IRB). Retrieved from https://www.apus.edu/academic-community/research/institutional-review-board/index
Tran, B. X., Phan, H. T., Latkin, C. A., Nguyen, H., Hoang, C. L., Ho, C., & Ho, R. (2019). Understanding Global HIV Stigma and Discrimination: Are Contextual Factors Sufficiently Studied? (GAPRESEARCH). International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(11), 1899. doi:10.3390/ijerph16111899