TY - JOUR

T1 - Treatment and care of HIV positive asylum seekers

AU - Cook, Penny A

AU - Downing, Jennifer

AU - Rimmer, Pauline

AU - Syed, Qutub

AU - Bellis, Mark A

PY - 2006/10

Y1 - 2006/10

N2 - BACKGROUND: Enhanced regional surveillance in north west England suggests that the proportion of HIV positive people who are asylum seekers (AS) is increasing. Nationally, there is no empirical evidence that HIV positive AS use HIV services to a greater or lesser extent than HIV positive non-AS. This report compares stage of disease and use of services between HIV positive non-AS and AS.METHODS: Data on those accessing HIV treatment and care (from hospitals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) in the north west of England for the first time January 2001-June 2004 (total 2204; AS 409) were extracted from the regional enhanced surveillance system.RESULTS: Compared with non-AS, AS did not differ in stage of HIV disease on first contact (p>0.05), were no more likely to stay overnight in hospital (p>0.05), but had an average of one extra outpatient appointment per year (median seven compared with six, p = 0.014). AS were much more likely to have accessed NGOs for support (43% compared with 27%: p<0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Use of specialist hospital services by HIV positive AS differs little from HIV positive persons who are not AS. However, HIV positive AS rely more on NGOs at a time when such voluntary services are under increasing financial pressures.

AB - BACKGROUND: Enhanced regional surveillance in north west England suggests that the proportion of HIV positive people who are asylum seekers (AS) is increasing. Nationally, there is no empirical evidence that HIV positive AS use HIV services to a greater or lesser extent than HIV positive non-AS. This report compares stage of disease and use of services between HIV positive non-AS and AS.METHODS: Data on those accessing HIV treatment and care (from hospitals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) in the north west of England for the first time January 2001-June 2004 (total 2204; AS 409) were extracted from the regional enhanced surveillance system.RESULTS: Compared with non-AS, AS did not differ in stage of HIV disease on first contact (p>0.05), were no more likely to stay overnight in hospital (p>0.05), but had an average of one extra outpatient appointment per year (median seven compared with six, p = 0.014). AS were much more likely to have accessed NGOs for support (43% compared with 27%: p<0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Use of specialist hospital services by HIV positive AS differs little from HIV positive persons who are not AS. However, HIV positive AS rely more on NGOs at a time when such voluntary services are under increasing financial pressures.

KW - Adult

KW - England

KW - Female

KW - HIV Seropositivity

KW - Health Status

KW - Hospitalization

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Needs Assessment

KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care

KW - Refugees

KW - Regression Analysis

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1136/jech.2005.044776

DO - 10.1136/jech.2005.044776

M3 - Article

C2 - 16973527

VL - 60

SP - 836

EP - 838

JO - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

SN - 0143-005X

IS - 10

ER -