Wolffers I, Fernandez I, Verghis S, Nguyen Nguyen Nhu T, Vink M, Deville W; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. MoPeD2644.
I. Wolffers, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tel.: +31 20 444 82 66, Fax: +31 20 444 83 94, E-mail: 100256.1305@compuserve.com
Background: Timely prevention and treatment of STDs and proper reproductive health care are important means for HIV-prevention. Unfortunately migrant workers use such facilities less than desirable. They have more STDs and consult health care facilities later in case of HIV-infection when their CD4 cell counts are already low and much damage is done to their health. Methods: In the regional CARAM programme (Co-ordination of action research on AIDS and mobility in Asia), qualitative and quantitative research was done to understand how migrant workers see health-care services, why they use them, what they do in case of disturbances in their health. Interviews were held with Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia and returned Bangladeshi migrants, with Philippine housemaids in Malaysia and Hong Kong, with Khmer garment factory workers who moved from rural areas to the city, and with Vietnamese migrant workers in Korea. This material is analysed with the ATLAS-TI programme. A questionnaire was developed and a survey held among migrants in Malaysia. Results: Migrants do indeed not consult health care services like the longer residing people in migrants receiving countries do. Reasons are that they do not know the way, that the cost is too high for them and they have invested already so much in their migration, and that the care provided does not seem meaningful to them because communication problems (language) make it difficult to educate them about the reasons. In addition, in some countries (e.g. Malaysia) visiting health care facilities may lead to repatriation because according to the law on notifyable diseases some diseases (like hepatitis, STDs, TB, but also HIV-infection) will result in repatriation. Conclusions: Health-care facilities for migrants needs special investments in terms of translation facilities, educational outreach work to educate migrants on the need for prevention of STDs and attending health-care facilities timely. In addition, present policies in some countries have to be challenged in order to prevent migrants being afraid to visit health-care facilities.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Asia
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- Delivery of Health Care
- Emigration and Immigration
- HIV Infections
- Health
- Health Services
- Hong Kong
- Korea
- Malaysia
- Public Policy
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Transients and Migrants
- organization & administration
Other ID:
UI: 102238396
From Meeting Abstracts