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HIV Testing Behaviors Among Latinos in Baltimore City

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health volume 14, pages 540–551 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

In the US, HIV disproportionately affects Latinos who often present late in the disease. Baltimore has seen a recent rapid growth in its Latino population paralleled by an increasing impact of HIV/AIDS among Latinos. From 2009 to 2010, we performed a cross-sectional survey of Latinos accessing the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) Latino Outreach services to assess self-report of previous HIV testing, with particular attention to migration history and risk behaviors. Of 247 Latinos (46% male) accessing BCHD outreach services, 96% were foreign-born. Self-perceived HIV risk was not associated with actual risk behaviors or HIV testing. In multivariate models, previous HIV testing was correlated with knowledge of HIV transmission modes and knowing that a person with HIV can appear healthy. Consistent with CDC recommendations, HIV screening among Latino immigrants should not be limited to individuals with self-perceived risk for HIV. Promoting key pieces of HIV knowledge may improve HIV testing behaviors.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported in part by the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute Small Grant Award. We would also like to acknowledge members of the Baltimore City Health Department Latino Outreach Team including Dr. Joyce Jones, Alejandra Flores-Miller, Melissa Cuesta, and Alcides Ferrera. Dr. Page was supported by a K23 career development award (K23HD056957) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Meyer was supported by a T32 training grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH020031). Dr. Chen was supported by a diversity supplement through the National Institute of Drug Abuse (R01DA028692-02S1).

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Affiliations

  1. Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0507, USA

    Nadine E. Chen

  2. Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Jaimie P. Meyer

  3. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA

    Robert Bollinger & Kathleen R. Page

Authors
  1. Nadine E. Chen
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  2. Jaimie P. Meyer
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  3. Robert Bollinger
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  4. Kathleen R. Page
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Correspondence to Nadine E. Chen.

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Chen, N.E., Meyer, J.P., Bollinger, R. et al. HIV Testing Behaviors Among Latinos in Baltimore City. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 540–551 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9573-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9573-y

Keywords

  • HIV/AIDS
  • Prevention
  • Hispanic
  • Latino
  • Condom
  • HIV knowledge
  • HIV testing