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We aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV infection and associated risk factors among Montrealers of Haitian origin. We carried out a voluntary, anonymous survey in 7 primary care medical clinics in Montreal among 5039 persons aged 15 to 49 years born in Haiti or with at least one parent born in Haiti. The participation rate was 94.3%. Overall, HIV prevalence was 1.3% (1.6% in men and 1.1% in women). The HIV prevalence was lower among those born in Canada or who had resided in Canada longer. The prevalence among subjects who had travelled to Haiti in the previous 5 years was 2.0%, twice the rate of those who had not. The adjusted population attributable fraction of HIV infections associated with having had unprotected sex in Haiti was 10.2%. This study identified risk factors which will help in the design of more effective prevention programmes among Montrealers of Haitian origin.

Assuntos

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This paper describes the survey results reporting demographic profiles, behaviours, opinions beliefs, attitudes and intentions related to condom use for three Canadian ethnocultural communities (Latin American, English-speaking Caribbean and South Asian) participating in the Ethnocultural Communities facing AIDS Study. Specific recommendations are presented for HIV-prevention programming based on the research results (AU).

Assuntos

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The aim of this study was to understand the intention to use a condom for each instance of sexual intercourse with a new partner in three of Canada's non-dominant ethnocultural communities: Latin American (N=346), English-speaking Caribbean (N=358), and South Asian (N=355). All respondents were recruited from multiple ethnocultural venues using predetermined sampling frames and quotas for each community. Anonymous questionnaire assessing culturally specific theoretical constructs were completed. This paper presents the methodology and the main findings. The high quality of the results of this study demonstrate the advantage of establishing strong partnerships with members of communities being studied (AU)

Assuntos

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This paper presents the results of Phase 11 of the Ethnocultural Communities facing AIDS Study, the sociocultural investigation of factors contributing to risk behaviour associated wih HIV/AIDS in six ethnocultural communities in Canada in three urban sites. In Vancouver, the South Asian and Chinese communities were studied, the Horn of Africa and English-speaking Caribbean communities in Toronto and the Latin American and Arab-speaking communities in Montreal. Results demonstrated that there are common elements across these ethnocultural communities that increase the risk for HIV transmission. HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention in ethnocultural communities must address sociocultural differences, particularly sex role differences between men and women in terms of power within relationships to negotiate for safer sexual practices (AU).

Assuntos

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The objectives of the study were to determine knowledge levels regarding AIDS and its modes of transmission, and to describe sexual behaviour of Montrealers of Haitian origin. A serial cross-sectional study was conducted in three phases between 1987 and 1990. A questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview with the exception of the section concerning sexual practices which was self-administered for those respondents who were literate in French. The study was conducted among 775 men and women residing in the metropolitan Montreal region. These individuals were aged 15 to 39, were born in Haiti or had at least one parent born in Haiti. Knowledge levels were high except for misconceptions about HIV transmission through casual contact and mosquito bites. There was a significant association between high risk sexual behaviour and marital status with the odds of having had multiple partners significantly raised for previously married individuals (OR = 5.96, 95% CI = 3.09; 11.50). High risk behaviour was also associated with being under 25 years of age (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.40; 5.74), knowing someone with HIV/AIDS (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.05; 3.37), being male (OR = 6.81, 95% CI = 3.99; 11.60) and earlier year of interview. Montrealers of Haitian origin, with their specific AIDS-related socio-cultural characteristics, constitute a community which is intermediate between their country of origin, Haiti, and their host country, Canada.

Assuntos

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To determine attitudes and beliefs related to AIDS among the population of metropolitan Montreal of Haitian origin, we conducted serial cross-sectional surveys between 1987 and 1990 among a random sample of 777 men and women aged 15 to 39. Data on perceived risk of AIDS and attitudes towards HIV testing were collected in home settings using a combination of face-to-face structured interviews and a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine predictors of attitudes towards people with HIV. The fear of being infected with HIV is great in this population. The social representation of illness in this community is very much influenced by religious beliefs. Scores for the five-item scale suggest only moderately favourable attitudes towards persons with HIV compared to Montrealers in general. Attitudes towards persons with AIDS were positively associated with years of schooling and a higher perceived risk of getting infected (p < or = 0.01).

Assuntos

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AIDS constitutes an important public health problem in Haiti, where it appears to be spread mainly through heterosexual encounters. The study reported here employed in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and a national cross-sectional survey of 1,300 men and 1,300 women 15 to 49 years old to assess AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices in Haiti. According to criteria established for the study, 38.1% of the 1,118 sexually active male survey respondents were found to engage in high-risk behavior. In general, the women were found to have better knowledge of AIDS than the men. Significant obstacles to condom use included the inability of women to choose whether condoms would be used and a belief that condom lubricant could cause health problems. The study also found a tendency to ostracize people with AIDS, especially in areas outside Port-au-Prince, and a belief that AIDS was imposed on people by fate--which could partially explain the tendency to persist in high-risk behavior.

PIP: AIDS constitutes a major health problem in Haiti which continues to grow through what seems to be mainly heterosexual relations. Over 1989-90, 8.9% of 1720 pregnant women attending a prenatal clinic in a suburban slum were identified as HIV-seropositive. Among initial blood donors in 1990, 5.8% of 1199 males and 1.9% of 15 female donors were seropositive for HIV. In-depth interviews, focus groups, and a national cross-sectional survey of 1300 men and 1300 women aged 15-49 years were conducted in an effort to assess participants' AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices. 38.1% of the 1118 sexually active male survey respondents engaged in high-risk behavior. Men were considered to be at high risk for infection/transmission if they had ever visited a prostitute or had more than 1 sex partner in the month preceding the interview. Most in Haiti have heard of AIDS, but many misconceptions remain about how HIV is transmitted. Women did, however, tend to better informed than men. Even though the women may be comparatively better informed about HIV transmission, their lack of ability to negotiate condom use still impedes the more widespread use of condoms. The belief that condom lubricant may cause health problems also impedes condom use. Finally, the study found a tendency to ostracize people with AIDS, especially outside of Port-au-Prince, and the belief that individuals acquire AIDS deterministically according to fate. A coordinated national effort is needed to correct these misconceptions and increase the prevalence of condom usage.

Assuntos

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We used interviews of 268 subjects to ascertain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices related to AIDS among Montrealers of Haitian origin, from November 1987 through October 1988. The questions on knowledge included items on general knowledge about the disease (prevention of AIDS, treatment, nature and manifestations of the disease, screening and high-risk groups), and more specific questions about modes of HIV-1 transmission. The average correct answers to questions on general knowledge about AIDS was 81%. The questions on HIV-1 transmission concerned both modes of infection that are scientifically established, and other modes that are not scientifically recognized. The average correct answers to questions on scientifically recognized modes of infection was 94% and the average correct answers for modes of transmission that are not scientifically accepted was 74%. The attitudes and beliefs of Montrealers of Haitian origin toward persons with AIDS was only moderately favourable. Attitudes and beliefs toward condom promotion were very positive. The percentage of subjects reporting male homosexuality or injection drug use was extremely small. 23% of subjects who had experienced sexual intercourse reported that they had two or more partners during the 12 months preceding the survey.

PIP: The authors used interviews from 268 patients to ascertain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices related to AIDS among Montrealers of Haitian origin. Interviews were conducted between November 1987-October 1988 and questions queried general knowledge about the disease (prevention of AIDS, treatment, nature, and manifestations of the disease, screening, high-risk groups), and more specific questions on the modes of HIV-1 transmission. The average % of correct answers on general knowledge about AIDS was about 81%. The questions on HIV-1 transmission concerned both modes of infection that are scientifically established, and other modes that are not. The average % of correct answers to questions on scientifically recognized modes of infection was 94% and for those answers on those which are not scientifically accepted was 74%. The attitudes and beliefs of these Montrealers towards those with AIDS was only moderately favorable. Attitudes and beliefs toward condom promotion were, on the other hand, very positive. The % of subjects reporting male homosexuality or injection drug use was extremely small. 23% of subjects who had experienced sexual intercourse reported that they had 2 or more partners in the 12 months preceding the survey. (author's)

Assuntos

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A matched-pair, cross-sectional study of lymphocyte and serological parameters associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 189 randomly chosen, ostensibly healthy adult Haitian immigrants residing in Montreal matched for sex, age (within 5 years), and neighborhood of residence to 189 non-Haitian (Caucasian) controls was done in 1983-1984. Three years later (1986-1987), 41 of the Haitian study subjects and 83 of the non-Haitian controls participated in a follow-up study centered on lymphocyte parameters. A significantly greater number of Haitians than controls had produced antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. In addition, a greater percentage of the Haitians than the controls were also producing antibodies to two other opportunistic pathogens frequently encountered in AIDS, cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus, implying that the Haitians in general had had greater exposure to a variety of infectious agents than had the controls. A few study participants were producing antibodies against two viruses that are related to the human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1), the human T-cell lymphotropic viruses I and II (HTLV-I and -II). Two Haitians and one control were producing antibodies against HTLV-I. One study subject and four controls were HTLV-II seropositive. The most interesting and surprising finding was that four (2.1%) of the Haitian study subjects but none of the controls were seropositive for HIV-1. These individuals, two of whom were women and two men, were asymptomatic. Although their individual lymphocyte parameter values fell in the normal range, as a group they had statistically significantly lower average values for their lymphocyte parameters than did the HIV-seronegative Haitian study objects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Assuntos

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To investigate the occurrence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Haitians, a health status questionnaire was administered and selected studies of immune status done in a randomly chosen sample of 189 healthy adult Haitians living in Montreal. The study group was comparable to a large sample of Haitians in Montreal interviewed in the 1981 census with respect to age, sex, number of persons per household and year of immigration, but the proportion of currently married people in the study was larger (60.8% v. 42.6%). The results in the study group were compared with those in a sample of 189 non-Haitians matched for age, sex and neighbourhood of residence. Persons with known causes of impaired immune function were excluded. The participation rate was 87.5%. The study and control groups both reported few symptoms and chronic health problems and had comparable demographic data, including rate of employment and income. The mean total numbers of lymphocytes, OKT3 and OKT4 (helper) and OKT8 (suppressor) cells were significantly higher in the Haitians than in the controls, though still within normal limits. There was a borderline elevation of the lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin in the Haitians. The ratios of helper to suppressor T cells in the two groups were, however, not significantly different. The Haitians, in comparison with non-Haitians living in the same community, had no demonstrable abnormalities of cellular immune function.

Assuntos