Innovative HIV prevention services for asylum seekers

TY - GEN

T1 - Innovative HIV prevention services for asylum seekers

AU - Mason-Jones, Amanda Jayne

AU - Moyo, Wellington

AU - Hill, Ellen

PY - 2018/9/12

Y1 - 2018/9/12

N2 - Undiagnosed HIV remains a problem in the UK with rates of late diagnosis in some communities particularly high. Late diagnosis can significantly reduce the benefits of HIV treatment and lead to early death. The combined stigma of HIV and being a member of a migrant group meant that services and the intervention needed to be provided sensitively. The projected provided an opportunity for producing sustainable resources in various languages which have the potential to benefit future interventions by HIV support agencies in the UK working with similar populations. Those who attended the project reported positive change of attitudes towards HIV. This resulted in about a third testing for HIV and many of whom increasing condoms uptake, especially members of African communities.Knowledge of HIV increased substantially after the HIV awareness training sessions. The mean knowledge score for the group as a whole before the sessions was 4.62 out of a possible 7 (SD 2.29) whilst after the sessions it was 6.45 out of 7 (SD 1.66). This demonstrated a statistically significant mean increase in knowledge score of 1.83 (95% CI 1.43, 2.23) at the <000.1 level.The key learning from this project was that the delivery of HIV awareness training sessions in a range of languages to newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees can be effective in engaging these populations, increasing their knowledge and changing their attitudes. Sharing information that HIV support was free to everyone regardless of their immigration status contributed to high attendance of people from various backgrounds.

AB - Undiagnosed HIV remains a problem in the UK with rates of late diagnosis in some communities particularly high. Late diagnosis can significantly reduce the benefits of HIV treatment and lead to early death. The combined stigma of HIV and being a member of a migrant group meant that services and the intervention needed to be provided sensitively. The projected provided an opportunity for producing sustainable resources in various languages which have the potential to benefit future interventions by HIV support agencies in the UK working with similar populations. Those who attended the project reported positive change of attitudes towards HIV. This resulted in about a third testing for HIV and many of whom increasing condoms uptake, especially members of African communities.Knowledge of HIV increased substantially after the HIV awareness training sessions. The mean knowledge score for the group as a whole before the sessions was 4.62 out of a possible 7 (SD 2.29) whilst after the sessions it was 6.45 out of 7 (SD 1.66). This demonstrated a statistically significant mean increase in knowledge score of 1.83 (95% CI 1.43, 2.23) at the <000.1 level.The key learning from this project was that the delivery of HIV awareness training sessions in a range of languages to newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees can be effective in engaging these populations, increasing their knowledge and changing their attitudes. Sharing information that HIV support was free to everyone regardless of their immigration status contributed to high attendance of people from various backgrounds.

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - Public Health England 2018

T2 - Public Health England Annual Conference 2018

Y2 - 11 September 2018 through 12 September 2018

ER -