AEGiS-14IAC: Knowledge and needs of the immigrant women in Spain, regarding HIV/Aids and the maternal to child transmission.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Knowledge and needs of the immigrant women in Spain, regarding HIV/Aids and the maternal to child transmission.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. D11092)

Rodriguez Arenas MA, Fuentes CZ, Dorado Garcia ML, Pino CG, Bermejo Garcia A, Alvaro JR
Medicos del Mundo, Spain, Spain

BACKGROUND: To be able to undertake effective interventions based on the specific characteristics and needs of these women, we evaluated their knowledge and needs regarding the heterosexual transmission and the prevention of the maternal to child transmission of HIV.

METHODS: Focal groups carried out in two Spanish cities (Valencia and Bilbao) during March and May 2001, of Latin American women. The study variables were: health and pregnancy knowledge access to the services, family relationships, and knowledge of HIV and its transmission.

RESULTS: We found the following characteristics: 24 to 43 years old, married, with children, secondary studies, less than 12 months in Spain, irregular situation regarding their job status, working in domestic service. These women manifiest to have wide knowledge about AIDS, being to share syringes and sexual relationship the most frequent transmission forms in Spain they say. They don't know there are effective treatments for the infection. For them, AIDS in synonymous to illness and death, and they think that there are a close relationship between the infection of HIV and the sex work. In woman who non-sell sex the AIDS infection arrives by an unfaithful husband/partner. To prevent maternal to child transmission they can only avoid having children or, in last option, the abortion. They don't consider the caesarean section or the bottle feeding as alternatives because of their cultural context. Test of HIV is far from its reach, so it is in their native countries, where it is expensive and it can cause them the social rejection, like in Spain, where they are only temporarily.

CONCLUSIONS: The specific risks for HIV infection of immigrant women is not considered in the general campaings or AID prevention. We recommend to elaborate specific messages and information for this community and to work social ideal of the AIDS to avoid the fear for rejection. Financed by the European Commission-Agrement N SI2.279487 (2000 CVF4-018)

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Knowledge, Health Services Needs and Demand, Mothers, HIV Seropositivity, Heterosexuality, Prostitution, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Employment, Spain, Child, Adult, Human, Female, Pregnancy, transmission

020707
D11092