Document Type

Article

Department

School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa

Abstract

This article reports the results of a qualitative study of the experiences of African women living with HIV in Nottingham, UK. Globally, sub-Saharan Africa is the region most severely affected by the HIV pandemic [1]. This pattern is also reflected in the UK where African migrants make up 27% of those diagnosed with HIV despite the fact that they constitute less than 1% of the population [2-4]. Healthcare staff play a central role in meeting the prevention and care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS [5]. In contexts of increasing migration, health workers are called upon to recognise the diverse cultural, social, economic and political histories of their patients, and to understand how these interface with their current living situation, including their HIV-related health and treatment needs [6]. Relatively little research has been conducted to investigate the health experiences of migrant populations living with HIV in the UK, or on their patterns of access to, and utilisation of, HIV treatment and care [7]. Findings from the available, but limited, studies indicate that African migrants tend to present later than other population groups for HIV testing and treatment [8]. This is attributed to a number of obstacles to seeking or accessing care, including individual/community characteristics (such as AIDS-associated stigma, lack of perceived risk and denial), and factors associated with service and welfare provision in the host country--such as perceived discrimination, language and cultural differences, financial constraints and uncertain legal/immigration status [8-10].

Publication (Name of Journal)

HIV Nursing

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