Defining new communities: a challenge for immigrant health

Efforts to reduce HIV/AIDS vulnerability among U.S. Hispanics/Latinos can benefit from conceptualizing immigrant populations in ways that reflect their composition, social dynamics, economic and health status and permanency. This study employed qualitative methods to identify and describe HIV/AIDS and other health vulnerabilities among recent immigrants to the New York area from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Qualitative data collection involved: a) individual interviews (n = 51); b) 11 focusing groups (n = 86); c) key informant interviews (n = 26) and one focusing group with advocates and providers in health and social services; and d) ethnographic observation. Results indicate that migration and living conditions in receiving locations contribute to new immigrants disconnection from a sense of community that may have negative effects on their physical and mental health. Data support the conclusion that public health policies and programs need to reach some consensus in defining these evolving immigrant communities in order to determine and provide culturally appropriate and effective prevention interventions

Research participant recruitment in hispanic communities: Lessons learned

Hidden/special populations such as new immigrants are hard-to-reach due to issues such as stigma, discrimination, fear of immigration authorities, and cultural norms. Such factors can affect the recruitment of participants for behavioral research, especially research which addresses stigmatizing conditions such as HIV/AIDS. This research involved a qualitative approach and methods. The study identified contextual factors as well as attitudes, experiences and beliefs affecting HIV risk among recent Hispanic immigrants in New York. During the course of this research, challenges to participant recruitment were identified which were related to the environments, characteristics of the populations, and the sensitive nature of the topic to be studied. Strategies including exploratory fieldwork and sensitivity to participants\u27 fear of \u27\u27the system\u27\u27 were effective in recruiting individuals from this population. The authors discuss the strategies which facilitated recruitment of research subjects from these new Hispanic immigrant communities and the importance of behavioral research among these vulnerable communities. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Living in a foreign country : The meaning of place of origin and gender for risk perceptions, experiences, and behaviors

Previous research has convincingly proven that perceptions, experience, and exposure to risks vary among certain groups in society. By drawing from a unique combination of Swedish survey data and interviews, this study aims to investigate perceptions and experiences of risks as well as in relation to behavior by analyzing the cleavages related to interactions between place of origin and gender. Theoretically, we see individual risk perception as part of situated hierarchical power relations where an individual’s position (which is an intersection of, for example, gender, race, age, and place of origin) structures action and thought. Findings verify that foreign-born men and women perceive risks to a greater extent than those born in Sweden. However, no direct pattern of ethnicity is apparent in exposure to risks, but since predictors measuring experience of discrimination are shown to be significant, the effect can be mediated by such circumstances. In terms of how risks have affected behavior, women, irrespective of their ethnicity, are affected. Exposure to tragic experiences among those who are foreign born can pose risks that are perceived to a greater extent. Furthermore, more vulnerable material conditions can also affect how risks are perceived, and uncertainty due to a lack of resources and as an inherent ingredient of living in a foreign country seem to enhance perceptions of risk and feelings of unsafety. Last, the sense of discrimination appears to influence exposure to certain risks, which might capture an interaction between racism and violence