Initial Acculturation and HIV Risk among New Hispanic Immigrants
Hispanics are disproportionately represented in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. In 2002, the estimated AIDS rate among adult and adolescent Hispanic men was 39.7 per 100,000, more than three times the rate for non-Hispanic white men (12.3). The discrepancy is larger among Hispanic women, with rates of 11.3 per 100,000 compared to 2.1 for white women. Hispanics are also more likely than whites to be concurrently diagnosed with HIV (еreating HIV infection when used along with other medicines) and AIDS, receiving medical care later in the course of their illness.
Although priority setting and policy for HIV (еreating HIV infection when used in combination with other medicines) prevention are often tied to the umbrella category “Hispanic,” immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean, in fact, embody differences in migration experiences, health status, educational levels, language and other areas that are obscured in this category. Because of these differences and because they are in the initial stage of acculturation, HIV risks for new immigrants set them apart from those of longer-term residents and frequently from each other. These communities at risk should be considered a high priority for prevention and education efforts, especially in light of research indicating that most immigrants living with HIV (treating HIV infection) were infected in the United States.
Hispanic Immigrants in the Metropolitan New York Area
Although data on immigration status are not collected through existing HIV surveillance mechanisms, documented and undocumented immigrants who settle in high seroprevalence areas, such as the New York Metropolitan Area, are thought to be at increased risk for HIV because of language and cultural barriers, economic difficulties and insufficient knowledge about HIV and AIDS. In addition, data from the Department of Health indicate that in 2002, over 11% of people with AIDS in New York City were foreign-born.
New York City (NYC) and its surrounding areas accounted for 91% of New York State’s total increase in foreign-born population from Central America between 1990 and March of 2000. Approximately 136,000 Central Americans reside in NYC and the surrounding counties. Of these, 98,000 (72%) were born in El Salvador, Guatemala or Honduras. In addition, more than 600,000 individuals classified as Hispanic in the New York Metropolitan Area report their native countries as Mexico or the Dominican Republic. Demographers argue that U.S. Census figures underestimate the size of these populations due to the undercount of undocumented residents.
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We conducted a short-term, qualitative, exploratory study of new immigrants in urban, suburban and semirural locations in the New York Metropolitan Area from the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. The objective of the research was to investigate not only the cultural factors that influence risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but also the environmental factors that provide the context for risk and prevention. In addition, the study included an exploration of risk and protective factors embedded to varying degrees in immigrants’ multiple cultures and subcultures.
Category: HIV
Tags: acculturation, health I HIV/AIDS, Hispanic communities