Marseille 2007
| Abstract #214 - HIV/AIDS socio-behavioural studies on Albanians, Moroccans and Peruvians living in Italy as a support of an integrated prevention action | ||||
|
Session: 26.84: Posters B (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Mrs Michela martini - IOM International Organization for Migration, Italy |
||||
| Additional Authors: Mrs Emanuela Forcella, | ||||
| Aim: Study objectives: This project, promoted and funded by Italian Ministry of Health, aims, as first step, to realize a socio-behavioural research on Albanians, Moroccans and Peruvians in relation to HIV/AIDS. Primary objective of the study is to guarantee access to efficient health care for immigrant people living with HIV/AIDS and to reduce and contain the diffusion of the infection among this population. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Methods A qualitative and quantitative research to identify the profile for migrants with respect to information, risk perception, sexual and HIV/AIDS related behaviours is under implementation. Descriptive statistics techniques as well as cultural and anthropological methods are used in order to put the research in place. The participatory approach with the target group will be an important asset. Migrants associations and association dealing with HIV/AIDS will contribute at all stage of the project. For the quantitative survey its aimed to collect approximately 800 questionnaires. Cultural mediators will be responsible to contact immigrants in meeting places as religious centres and associations, and to distribute questionnaires; these will be self-administered by immigrants willing to participate in the study. Socio-demographic profile, knowledge of disease including way of transmission, sexual behaviour, drugs utilization and approach towards persons infected will be assessed. Indicators will be identified, among those included in the UNAIDS National AIDS Programmes. For the qualitative assessment, semi-structured interviews to key informants as health personnel, socio-cultural operators or AIDS patients are planned. A deeper understanding of the disease perception will allow planning preventive strategies sensitive to immigrant populations. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Results Results of the quantitative and qualitative assessment, in terms of knowledge, perception and attitude towards the disease, will provide a full understanding of the socio-behavioural context of Albanian, Moroccans, Peruvians living in Italy in relation to HIV/AIDS. information, risk perception, Final results of the project will be presented at the conference. | ||||
| Discussion: Discussion In Italy the proportion of diagnoses of AIDS among immigrants has increased in the latest years, although incidence rate has been decreasing, as for Italian population. The observed increase is partly due to the growing flux of immigrant population, representing almost the 5% of the Italian population. The lack of socio-behavioural studies on migrants living in Italy do not allow to define a profile of this population in relation to sexual behaviours, level of knowledge and perception of the disease. It is also recognised that several barriers obstruct and delay the access of immigrants to health care facilities. This make it difficult to include this population in preventive campaigns. Results from the study will contribute in built up an integrated and comprehensive (sexual behavioural) surveillance system in Italy. | ||||
| Go Back | ||||
