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Important Gaps in HIV Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Young Asylum Seekers in Comparison to the General Population

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Abstract

Migrants are disproportionately affected by HIV in many European countries, including Finland. We aimed to compare the HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of young asylum seekers to those of the general young adult population. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted among 20- to 25-year-old young adults: The TIE study among asylum seekers (n = 47) and the World AIDS Day 2014 study among the general population (n = 485). Important gaps in HIV KAP were identified especially among the young asylum seekers. For the general young adult population, previous HIV testing was associated with female gender, better HIV knowledge and increased sexual activity. Health education concerning HIV needs to be further enforced among young adults in Finland. Due to poorer HIV knowledge, young asylum seekers might be especially vulnerable to HIV. The asylum process is a window of opportunity for health education and HIV testing.

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Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by Suomen Tuberkuloosin Vastustamisyhdistyksen Säätiö, Helsingin Yliopisto, European Refugee Fund (ERF) and Ministry of Social Services and Health (FI).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Doctoral Programme in Population Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Paula Tiittala

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Pia Kivelä & Matti Ristola

  3. Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mannerheimintie 166, 00271, Helsinki, Finland

    Paula Tiittala, Kirsi Liitsola & Jukka Ollgren

  4. Positiiviset ry, HivFinland, on behalf of the World Aids Day committee 2014, Helsinki, Finland

    Sini Pasanen

  5. Finnish Lung Health Association (Filha), on behalf of the TIE steering committee, Helsinki, Finland

    Tuula Vasankari

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  1. Paula Tiittala
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  2. Pia Kivelä
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  4. Jukka Ollgren
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Correspondence to Paula Tiittala.

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Tiittala, P., Kivelä, P., Liitsola, K. et al. Important Gaps in HIV Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Young Asylum Seekers in Comparison to the General Population. J Immigrant Minority Health 20, 1415–1423 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0707-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0707-8

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