Knowledge of free voluntary HIV testing centres and willingness to do a test among migrants in Cayenne, French Guiana

Abstract

In Cayenne, French Guiana, 80% of HIV-positive patients followed at the hospital are migrants. Behavioural information is crucial for optimising HIV testing for this vulnerable group. Predictors of ignorance of the existence of free voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) centre and willingness to get tested were investigated in 2006 among 398 migrants from Haiti, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil using a structured questionnaire. Only 27% of migrants knew simultaneously about the existence of free VCT, its localisation and its operating hours. Factors associated with ignorance of the existence of free VCT centre were birthplace in Haiti, being in French Guiana for less than three years, not thinking one's birth country as strongly affected by HIV and not thinking to be personally at risk for HIV. Factors independently associated with willingness to get tested were thinking to be at risk for HIV, birthplace in Brazil and Haiti, having a high-integration level and fear of suffering if HIV test was positive. In order to improve testing among migrants, the accessibility of testing facilities and the knowledge of their whereabouts and operating hours must be improved to promote the desired behaviour among the majority of migrants which is often willing to do the test.

Epidemiologic correlates of willingness to be tested for HIV and prior testing among married men in India

“…Some of the commonly accepted HIV risk behaviours such as unemployment, early sexual debut, history of STIs, and multiple marriages were found to be negatively associated with willingness to be tested, probably because these risk behaviours were not perceived as such by the respondents. This finding is similar to that reported by Stein and and Nyamathi 18 No definite associations with either of the outcome variables were found for paid sex and consumption of alcohol at time of sexual encounters; 17,24,32,34 this could be an artifact due to the small numbers reporting these behaviours, as suggested by their wide confidence intervals.…”

Hierarchy of Determinants Underlying Death among HIV-Infected Patients in French Guiana

“…Not surprisingly, a preponderant role of CD4 count at enrolment in the tree construction was retrieved and confirms that getting persons to do the HIV test and avoid late diagnosis still remains a challenge in French Guiana [1]. Further studies have thus to be conducted to better identify barriers to testing and collect evidence to improve testing in French Guiana [6].…”

Mulheres que vivem em garimpos da fronteira franco-brasileira: desafios cotidianos

“…Apenas alguns estudos de saúde investigaram especificamente grupos populacionais vulneráveis, como mulheres em idade reprodutiva e crianças (16)(17) . Como é perceptível, ainda existem muitas lacunas quanto aos problemas que acometem brasileiras na área de garimpagem, especificamente na fronteira em questão (2,(18)(19)(20) .…”