Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 19, Issue 4, 2017, Pages 818-824

Engaging African and Caribbean Immigrants in HIV Testing and Care in a Large US City: Lessons Learned from the African Diaspora Health Initiative (Article)

Kwakwa H.A.* , Wahome R. , Goines D.S. , Jabateh V. , Green A. , Bessias S. , Flanigan T.P.
  • a Ambulatory Health Services, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 500 South Broad Street, Suite 360, Philadelphia, PA 19146, United States
  • b AIDS Care Group, Sharon Hill, PA, United States
  • c African Cultural Alliance of North America, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • d African Cultural Alliance of North America, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • e Ambulatory Health Services, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 500 South Broad Street, Suite 360, Philadelphia, PA 19146, United States
  • f Ambulatory Health Services, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 500 South Broad Street, Suite 360, Philadelphia, PA 19146, United States
  • g Department of Infectious Diseases, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI, United States

Abstract

The lifting in 2010 of the HIV entry ban eliminated an access point for HIV testing of the foreign-born. The African Diaspora Health Initiative (ADHI) was developed to examine alternative pathways to testing for African and Caribbean persons. The ADHI consists of Clinics Without Walls (CWW) held in community settings. HIV testing is offered to participants along with hypertension and diabetes screening. A survey is administered to participants. Descriptive data were analyzed using SAS 9.2. Between 2011 and 2015, 4152 African and Caribbean individuals participated in 352 CWW. Participants were mostly (67.7 %) African. HIV rates were lowest in Caribbean women (0.4 %) and highest in Caribbean men (8.4 %). Efforts to engage African and Caribbean communities in HIV testing are important given the elimination of the HIV entry ban and continued immigration to the US from areas of higher prevalence. The ADHI offers a successful model of engagement. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

US Screening Caribbean African HIV

Index Keywords

HIV Infections Human immunodeficiency virus infection sex ratio human epidemiology middle aged Ethnic Groups ethnic group ethnology United States Humans migrant psychology Black person African Continental Ancestry Group male Emigrants and Immigrants female Caribbean Region Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Caribbean adult Sex Distribution age distribution attitude to health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84969816368&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-016-0431-1&partnerID=40&md5=343e5422679bf7a56645f67f48aa6bcd
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0431-1
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English