Initial Acculturation and HIV Risk among New Hispanic Immigrants: METHODS

Qualitative data collection involved:

1) semistructured, in-depth individual interviews;
2) focus groups;
3) key informant interviews and a focus group with advocates and providers in health and social services;
and
4) ethnographic observation in the communities.

Interview instruments were designed to explore: individual and collective living conditions; continuities and changes in attitudes, behaviors, and interactions with existing social networks and environments; attitudes and behaviors related to HIV and other STIs; and access to health and other social services. order levitra professional

Data were collected in New York State in 2002 and 2003 in two field sites:

1) the contiguous counties of Westchester and Putnam, composed of urban, suburban and semi-rural areas; and
2) the semirural North Fork of Suffolk County, Long Island.

Participants were recruited at each site using a snowball approach initiated by community leaders and providers. Because of new immigrants’ fear of immigration authorities, the research team began field activities by establishing contacts at each site with the assistance of trusted community advocates and leaders. Criteria for recruitment for interviews and focus groups were: a) aged >18; b) born in one of the target countries; and c) having arrived from the country of origin <3 years before their participation in the study. Key informants included social workers, nurses, county officials, immigrant advocates, outreach workers, business owners, religious leaders and HIV/AIDS educators.
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Data included ethnographic field notes, interviewer comments and transcripts of interviews and focus groups. Other sources of information included print media coverage of local issues regarding immigration and census data. Atlas.ti (Scientific Software Development, Berlin, Germany) and Folioviews (Folio Corporation, Provo, UT) qualitative software programs facilitated the identification of patterns and themes within and across groups.

Category: HIV

Tags: acculturation, health I HIV/AIDS, Hispanic communities