title: Explaining the appeal for immigrant men who have sex with men of a community-based rapid HIV-testing site in Montreal (Actuel sur Rue).
abstract: Immigrant men who have sex with men (MSM) are vulnerable to HIV. In the last decade, several rapid HIV-testing facilities targeting MSM have been established around the world and seem popular among immigrants. This study analyzes factors contributing to immigrant MSM's use of Actuel sur Rue (AsR), a community-based rapid HIV-testing site in Montreal's gay village, where 31% of clients are immigrants. From October 2013 to January 2014, AsR staff compiled a list of new clients born outside of Canada. With their consent, 40 immigrant MSM were reached among these new clients for a 15-minute phone survey entailing open-ended and multiple-choice questions. The survey sought immigrant MSM's reasons for visiting AsR; satisfaction with service and staff; and open comments. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted with the qualitative data, and descriptive statistics were produced with the quantitative data. The qualitative findings indicate that the main reasons for seeking an HIV test were a recent risk, routine testing, or being in a new relationship. Clients chose AsR mainly because it is easily accessible, service is fast or they heard about it from a friend. The quantitative findings indicate that rates of satisfaction were high (over 90% were satisfied about all aspects except for openings hours) and more than 80% felt comfortable while receiving services at AsR. Nevertheless, this study's findings have implications for improving services. They stress the importance of offering rapid yet comprehensive service and of taking into account immigrant MSM's concerns for confidentiality.
authors: a Department of Family Medicine , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.|c Clinique médicale l'Actuel , Montreal , Canada.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lessard
authors: a Department of Family Medicine , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.|b Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.
authors: Bertrand
authors: B
authors: Lebouché
authors: b Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Engler
authors: c Clinique médicale l'Actuel , Montreal , Canada.
authors: Réjean
authors: R
authors: Thomas
authors: c Clinique médicale l'Actuel , Montreal , Canada.
authors: Nimâ
authors: N
authors: Machouf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011792:Quebec; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV checkpoint; MSM; Montreal, Canada; client satisfaction; immigration