HIV infection in mobile populations: the case of Mexican migrants to the United States La infección por VIH en poblaciones migratorias: la situación de los obreros itinerantes mexicanos en los Estados Unidos

• Main Authors: Ana P. Martínez-Donate, M. Gudelia Rangel, Melbourne F. Hovell, Jorge Santibáñez, Carol L. Sipan, José A. Izazola
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2005
• Subjects: Infecciones por VIH; enfermedades sexualmente transmisibles; transeúntes y migrantes; factores de riesgo; conducta sexual; México; Estados Unidos; HIV infections; sexually transmitted diseases; transients and migrants; risk factors; sexual behavior; Mexico; United States of America; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Baja
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/b2f8296bc1424b6d8326d5354055d37f

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have indicated varying rates of HIV infection among labor migrants to the United States of America. Most of these studies have been conducted with convenience samples of farmworkers, thus presenting limited external validity. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection and risk factors among Mexican migrants traveling through the border region of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and San Diego, California, United States. This region handles 37% of the migrant flow between Mexico and the United States and represents the natural port of entry for Mexican migrants to California. METHODS: From April to December 2002 a probability survey was conducted at key migrant crossing points in Tijuana. Mexican migrants, including ones with a history of illegal migration to the United States, completed an interview on HIV risk factors (n = 1 429) and an oral HIV antibody test (n = 1 041). RESULTS: Despite reporting risk factors for HIV infection, none of the migrants tested positive for HIV. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings contrast with previous estimates of HIV among labor migrants in the United States that were based on nonprobability samples. Our findings also underline the need for early HIV prevention interventions targeting this population of Mexican migrants. OBJETIVO: Estudios anteriores han revelado diferentes tasas de infección por VIH en la población de obreros itinerantes que han ingresado en los Estados Unidos de América. La mayoría de esos estudios se efectuaron con muestras de trabajadores agrícolas tomadas por conveniencia, y por lo tanto su validez externa ha sido limitada. El presente estudio se realizó con el fin de calcular la prevalencia de la infección por VIH y de sus factores de riesgo en los obreros itinerantes mexicanos que se desplazan por el territorio fronterizo de Tijuana, Baja California, México y San Diego, California, Estados Unidos. Esta zona, por donde pasan 37% de los obreros itinerantes que vienen de México a los Estados Unidos, es el natural puerto ...