Knowledge of free voluntary HIV testing centres and willingness to do a test among migrants in Cayenne, French Guiana

Matthieu Hanf (1) , Véronique Bousser (1) , Marie Claire Parriault (1) , Astrid Van-Melle (1) , Marie-Louise Nouvellet (2) , Leila Adriouch (2) , Claire Goddard-Sebillotte (1) , Pierre Couppié (3) , Mathieu Nacher (1, 2)

1 CIC - Antilles Guyane - Centre d'Investigation Clinique Antilles-Guyane
2 COREVIH
3 Service de Dermatologie et Vénérologie

In Cayenne, French Guiana, 80% of HIV+ patients followed at the hospital are migrants. Behavioral information is crucial for optimizing HIV testing for this vulnerable group. Predictors of ignorance of the existence of free VCT centre and willingness to get tested were investigated in 2006 among 398 migrants from Haiti, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil using a structured questionnaire. Only 27 % of migrants knew simultaneously about the existence of free VCT, its localisation and its operating hours. Factors associated with ignorance of the existence of free VCT centre were birthplace in Haiti, being in French Guiana for less than 3 years, not thinking one's birth country as strongly affected by HIV, and not thinking to be personally at risk for HIV. Factors independently associated with willingness to get tested were thinking to be at risk for HIV, birthplace in Brazil and Haiti, having a high integration level and fear of suffering if HIV test was positive. In order to improve testing among migrants, the accessibility of testing facilities and the knowledge of their whereabouts and operating hours must be improved to promote the desired behaviour among the majority of migrants which is often willing to do the test.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Domaines: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Matthieu Hanf, Véronique Bousser, Marie Claire Parriault, Astrid Van-Melle, Marie-Louise Nouvellet, et al.. Knowledge of free voluntary HIV testing centres and willingness to do a test among migrants in Cayenne, French Guiana. AIDS Care, 2011, 23 (04), pp.476-485. ⟨10.1080/09540121.2010.525604⟩. ⟨hal-00665442⟩