Social Science and Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 8, 2002, Pages 1297-1307

Migration and HIV prevention programmes: Linking structural factors, culture, and individual behaviour - An Israeli experience (Article)

Soskolne V.* , Shtarkshall R.A.
  • a Department of Social Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization, POB 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel, School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
  • b Department of Social Medicine, Hebrew University, Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel

Abstract

Migration is one of the structural factors associated with HIV infections, but the dynamic and complex role of migrant situations as determinants of HIV-related vulnerability is still a major issue for social science research. Moreover, interventions to address the specific structural and contextual factors inherent in this association are limited and many do not take into account the cultural components. This paper presents a multi-level framework for analysis of the links between migration and HIV. It includes the association of migration with structural macro factors - lower socio-economic status and limited power in the new society; intermediate structural factors - limited social capital and bi-directional interaction of cultural norms; and individual-level factors - stressors unique to the migration context, depleted psychosocial resources, loss of cultural beliefs and low use of health services. All these factors affect risky sexual behaviour and transmission of HIV. The paper utilises those elements of the framework that are relevant to the specific needs of immigrant populations from the former Soviet Union and from Ethiopia in Israel. We demonstrate their application to integrated, multi-level HIV prevention interventions and propose several special principles for development of migration-related HIV prevention programmes. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Migration culture intervention Israel social factors HIV/AIDS

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology Psychosocial Deprivation immigrant social psychology HIV Infections Israel sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection society Preventive Health Services human Health Behavior middle aged health service social aspect controlled study USSR Human immunodeficiency virus Sexually Transmitted Diseases social status Humans Adolescent communicable disease control Article disease transmission disease control Risk-Taking Ethiopia prophylaxis adult migration virus transmission Emigration and Immigration social class disease association Power (Psychology) attitude to health Culture immigrant population
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0036804422&doi=10.1016%2fS0277-9536%2801%2900282-9&partnerID=40&md5=04d25decc22773c1cdc587a64a2e1246
DOI: 10.1016/S0277-9536(01)00282-9
ISSN: 02779536
Cited by: 67
Original Language: English