Men migrating to the United States are at high risk of acquiring HIV and spreading it to their wives and children in Mexico. Yet there is limited understanding of this phenomenon from the perspective of these men and their wives. This exploratory study used face-to-face interviews to gain insight into factors influencing the increased risk of Mexican men migrating to the United States for contracting HIV as well as the consequences of their infections on returning to Mexico. Transcripts from audiotaped interviews provided the data for analysis. Thematic analysis revealed two overall categories and six interrelated themes. Categories were HIV Risk and Living with HIV. Study themes included social isolation, lack of knowledge/denial, machismo, powerlessness, and making the best of it. Results provide new insight into the spread of HIV in rural Mexico. © 2008 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.

AIDS Machismo Migrant workers HIV Mexico powerlessness Social isolation

HIV Infections Human immunodeficiency virus infection psychological aspect denial human social isolation middle aged ethnology Mexico United States Humans Adolescent male female Behavior Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Article disease transmission adult migration Denial (Psychology) Transients and Migrants Power (Psychology) attitude to health