Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2115 - Migration and HIV | ||||
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Session: 22.5: Migration and HIV (Parallel) on Wednesday @ 16.30-18.00 in C002 Chaired by Christiana Noestlinger, Dolores Albarracin Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Ibidun Fakoya - University College London, United Kingdom |
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| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: People living outside their country of birth form a substantial proportion of the HIV epidemic in Europe yet HIV prevention for this population is hindered by poor understanding of access to HIV testing, prevention and treatment. The aMASE Community Survey aimed to understand the barriers to accessing HIV testing for migrant communities living in Europe. We present descriptive analysis of the preliminary data. | ||||
| Method / Issue: A cross-sectional web-based survey developed in collaboration with a Community Advisory Group (CAG) made up of representatives from community organisations in the nine participating countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom). Eligible participants were all those living outside their country of birth and currently resident in the WHO European area, aged 18 years and over, and able to complete the survey in one of 14 languages. The CAG promoted the survey to migrant communities with greatest unmet HIV prevention needs (sub Saharan Africans, Latin Americans, men who have sex with men, injection drug users). The survey was available for completion between April 2014 and April 2015. | ||||
| Results / Comments: In total 979 (450 women 525 men 4 other) migrants were included in analysis. Respondents were from 128 countries (37.4% Europe 30.3% Africa 16.6% Latin America & Caribbean) and currently resident in 27 European countries (Greece 22.1% UK 17.5% Portugal 15.3%). Just over two thirds (68.4%) had ever tested for HIV and 45% had been offered an HIV test while attending services in their current host country. Migrant gay/bisexual men were more likely to have ever tested than heterosexual men (90.9% vs 60.3%) and migrants from Asia least likely to have tested compared to migrants from Latin America (46.2% vs 86.3%). The majority of those who had had never tested (83.9%) had not done so because they did not perceive themselves to be at risk 7.7% had not tested because they feared a positive result or its consequences and 7.7% cited structural barriers to testing (e.g. not knowing where to test). Of those who reported being HIV negative 76.0% has tested in their host country and 53.1% had tested in the last year. Just over a fifth (148 22.1%) reported living with HIV 16% had been diagnosed in the last year, 97.3% had seen their HIV doctor within the last year, with only one person reporting not having access to an HIV doctor. People living with HIV were more likely to have access to primary care physicians (88.3% vs 78.6% p=0.007). | ||||
| Discussion: Migrants living with HIV in this sample had good access to HIV care and healthcare in general. A third of migrants within this sample had never tested for HIV and most of them had not done so because they did not perceive themselves to be at risk. Low risk perception as a barrier to accessing HIV testing has been documented before and more needs to be done to increase awareness of HIV among migrant populations. | ||||
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