The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69278

Renato A Littaua, DVM, MPVM, Office of AIDS, CA Department of Health Services, MS 7700, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, 916-449-5839, RLittaua@dhs.ca.gov, Vanessa S. Miguelino, MPH, CA Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, MS 7700, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, and Travis H. Sanchez, DVM, MPH, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30333.

Background/Objectives: Previous studies have reported low rates of HIV testing among migrant farm workers and have proposed that barriers exist which may decrease HIV testing in this population.

Methods: In Fall 2002, an anonymous survey among migrant farm workers in three Northern California counties was conducted to assess HIV testing patterns and risk behaviors.

Results: 400 Latino/a farm workers were interviewed (92% born in Mexico; 65% married; 65% between 18 and 35 years old; 65% male and 59% had little or no education).

Among the 30% (118/397) of respondents who reported ever having an HIV test, only 37% (44/118) had tested in the past year.

Main reasons men sought their last HIV test were wanting to know their serostatus (32%; 18/57), being tested as part of a routine STD/medical check-up (16%; 9/57) or having the test recommended by a doctor or someone else (both 11%; 6/57). Main reasons women sought their last HIV test were wanting a pregnancy (30%; 18/61), wanting to know their serostatus or having a doctor recommend the test (both 20%; 12/61).

Main reasons for not testing in the past year were unlikely exposure to HIV (30%; 106/353), thought they were HIV negative (26%; 93/353) and not knowing where to get a test (10%; 35/353).

Conclusion: Motivations for testing should be incorporated in the development of culturally appropriate strategies to promote HIV testing. Providing information on where to test or increasing outreach to make HIV testing more accessible to this population may assist in increasing testing rates.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of this session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• 1) Describe HIV testing rates in the migrant farm worker population not available elsewhere, including rates of testing, reasons for testing and reasons for not testing.
• 2) Describe methods to assess HIV testing and its correlates.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.