title: Trauma exposure, PTSD, and HIV sexual risk behaviors among labor migrants from Tajikistan.
abstract: Little is known about the role of trauma and PTSD symptoms in the context of migration-associated HIV risk behaviors. A survey of Tajik married male seasonal labor migrants in Moscow was completed by 200 workers from 4 bazaars and 200 workers from 18 construction sites as part of a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) study. The mean PC-PTSD score was 1.2 with one-quarter of migrants scoring at or above the cutoff of 3 indicating likely PTSD diagnosis. PC-PTSD score was directly correlated with both direct and indirect trauma exposure, but PC-PTSD score did not predict either HIV sexual risk behaviors or HIV protective behaviors. HIV sexual risk behavior was associated with higher indirect trauma exposure. PC-PTSD score was associated with some indicators of increased caution (e.g., more talking with partners about HIV and condoms; more use of condom when drinking). Qualitative findings were used to illustrate the differences between direct and indirect traumas in terms of HIV sexual risk. The study findings call for future efforts to address labor migrant's mental health needs and to integrate trauma dimensions into HIV prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA. smweine@uic.edu
authors.forename: Stevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weine
authors.forename: Mahbat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahromov
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loue
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Owens
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013620:Tajikistan / Q000208:ethnology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult