title: HIV testing behaviors among Latinos in Baltimore City.
abstract: In the US, HIV disproportionately affects Latinos who often present late in the disease. Baltimore has seen a recent rapid growth in its Latino population paralleled by an increasing impact of HIV/AIDS among Latinos. From 2009 to 2010, we performed a cross-sectional survey of Latinos accessing the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) Latino Outreach services to assess self-report of previous HIV testing, with particular attention to migration history and risk behaviors. Of 247 Latinos (46% male) accessing BCHD outreach services, 96% were foreign-born. Self-perceived HIV risk was not associated with actual risk behaviors or HIV testing. In multivariate models, previous HIV testing was correlated with knowledge of HIV transmission modes and knowing that a person with HIV can appear healthy. Consistent with CDC recommendations, HIV screening among Latino immigrants should not be limited to individuals with self-perceived risk for HIV. Promoting key pieces of HIV knowledge may improve HIV testing behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093-0507, USA. nchen@umich.edu
authors.forename: Nadine E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jaimie P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bollinger
authors.forename: Kathleen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult