title: HIV-related characteristics of migrant workers in rural South Carolina.
abstract: After finding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in a migrant worker named as a syphilis contact, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control offered HIV counseling and testing and syphilis screening to migrant workers in the surrounding two-county area. In addition, a brief questionnaire was administered to document demographics and risk behavior. Of the 265 workers aged 16 and older in 15 migrant camps, 198 (75%) consented to the survey and testing. Of the 198 tested, 85% were male and 75% single. The median age was 39, with a range of 16 to 69 years. Twenty-five (13%) were HIV antibody positive, and 32 (16%) had reactive serologic tests for syphilis. Of the 166 workers who reported the frequency of condom use, 77 (46%) indicated they never use condoms. We conclude that there is a relatively high rate of HIV infection in these rural South Carolina migrant workers, whose behavior puts them at risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia 29201.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rion
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Longshore
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Leverette
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D001741:Black or African American