title: Fear of deportation may limit legal immigrants' access to HIV/AIDS-related care: a survey of Swedish language school students in Northern Sweden.
abstract: The increasing rates of HIV infection that are currently being reported in high-income countries can be partly explained by migration from countries with generalized epidemics. Yet, early diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in immigrants remains a challenge. This study investigated factors that might be limiting immigrants' access to HIV/AIDS care. Data from 268 legal immigrant students of two Swedish language schools in Northern Sweden were analyzed using logistic regression. Thirty-seven percent reported reluctance to seek medical attention if they had HIV/AIDS. Fear of deportation emerged as the most important determinant of reluctance to seek care after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, knowledge level, stigmatizing attitudes and fear of disclosure. Targeted interventions should consider the heterogeneity of migrant communities and the complex interplay of various factors which may impede access to HIV-related services. The myth about deportation because of HIV/AIDS should be countered.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Global Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, 901 85, Umeå, Sweden. faustine.nkulu@epiph.umu.se
authors.forename: Faustine Kyungu
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Nkulu Kalengayi
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hurtig
authors.forename: Clas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahlm
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krantz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult