POSTER PRESENTATION Open Access

Identifying practices and strategies to increaseHIV testing among Haitian migrant communitiesJonathan Santiago1,2*, A Adrien1, C Spigner2, A Katz2

From 16th International Symposium on HIV and Emerging Infectious DiseasesMarseille, France. 24-26 March 2010

BackgroundQuebecers of Haitian origin (QHO) are disproportio-nately infected with HIV/AIDS as a result of socio-eco-nomic, cultural, and migratory factors. The PublicHealth Department of Montreal (PHDM) sought toidentify practices and strategies to increase HIV testingin Haitian migrant communities.

MethodsKey informant interviews were conducted with represen-tatives of community-based organizations providingHIV/AIDS services to the largest Haitian communitiesin the USA (New York, Boston, and Miami). A thematicanalysis was completed to categorize qualitative datasubsequently grouped into themes.

Results• Rapid HIV testing had a significant role in decreas-ing the likelihood of Haitians not returning for theirresults due to stigma. It was also the preferredmethod of HIV testing for community level inter-ventions due to its flexibility, mobility, and ease incarrying out.• Group level interventions (GLI) targeting demo-graphic groups were effective in increasing HIV/AIDS education, promoting behavior change, anddecreasing stigma in Haitian migrant communities.Based on social cognitive learning theory, GLIs usecurricula that are non-judgmental, culturally sensi-tive, and linguistically appropriate.• Community level interventions (CLI) in Haitianmigrant communities engaged large audiences andincreased HIV testing among populations who donot access conventional testing. CLIs included theuse of mobile HIV testing vans, health conferences

and fairs providing HIV testing, and outreach work-ers to conduct street outreach.• Key informants advocated partnerships with clinics,hospitals, churches, and the business community.Many interventions to increase HIV/AIDS educationand testing were conducted with stakeholders due totheir unique capacity to mobilize and influence Hai-tian migrant communities.• Collaborating with local Haitian media to designculturally competent public service announcementswere seen as a valuable and cost-effective method toprovide HIV/AIDS education, promote HIV testing,and recruit participants for GLIs and CLIs.

DiscussionIncreasing HIV testing among QHO requires a compre-hensive strategy designed and implemented by a multi-tude of stakeholders. Strategies to address stigma andlow HIV/AIDS education are best tackled via GLIs andCLIs implemented by organizations trusted by QHO.The PHDM should also re-examine current HIV testingpolicy in Quebec and consider increasing access to rapidHIV testing.

Author details1Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.2University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, USA.

Published: 11 May 2010

doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-S1-P111Cite this article as: Santiago et al.: Identifying practices and strategies toincrease HIV testing among Haitian migrant communities. Retrovirology2010 7(Suppl 1):P111.

* Correspondence: jsanti25@gmail.com1Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, Montréal, Canada

Santiago et al. Retrovirology 2010, 7(Suppl 1):P111http://www.retrovirology.com/content/7/S1/P111

© 2010 Santiago et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.