Henrike K örner Augustine Asante HIV knowledge, attitudes and use of health services among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

What is the study about? Aim: To survey periodically HIV knowledge, perceptions and use of health services among people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds Pilot study: Is it possible to recruit sufficiently large samples for a behavioural survey? Test questionnaire

Aim:

To survey periodically HIV knowledge, perceptions and use of health services among people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds

Pilot study:

Is it possible to recruit sufficiently large samples for a behavioural survey?

Test questionnaire

Four priority communities: 2 Asian (Thai, Cambodian) 2 African (Ethiopian, Sudanese) Recruitment target: 300 Total recruited: 286 recruited over a period of 4 months Self-completed questionnaire: English or native language

Four priority communities:

2 Asian (Thai, Cambodian)

2 African (Ethiopian, Sudanese)

Recruitment target: 300

Total recruited: 286

recruited over a period of 4 months

Self-completed questionnaire: English or native language

Age of respondents

Gender

USE OF HEALTH SERVICES

USE OF HEALTH SERVICES

Frequency of using health services

Views about routine health checks

Potential barriers to using health services

HIV knowledge and awareness Level of HIV/AIDS knowledge and awareness: High awareness across all communities - over 90% have heard about AIDS and HIV Exception : Few Cambodians (15.5%) know about AIDS but not about HIV Sources of HIV/AIDS information: 82.9% - heard about HIV/AIDS recently from the media (radio, TV, newspapers & magazines) 8.7% - heard about HIV/AIDS through friends/ relatives and community meetings

Level of HIV/AIDS knowledge and awareness:

High awareness across all communities - over 90% have heard about AIDS and HIV

Exception : Few Cambodians (15.5%) know about AIDS but not about HIV

Sources of HIV/AIDS information:

82.9% - heard about HIV/AIDS recently from the media (radio, TV, newspapers & magazines)

8.7% - heard about HIV/AIDS through friends/ relatives and community meetings

Knowledge of HIV transmission & protection methods

Perceptions of HIV infection risk (Who can get HIV?)

Views about HIV testing and actual testing for HIV

Stigma and Discriminations: Views about PLWHA

How should people with HIV/AIDS be treated?

Disclosure of HIV status

HIV and shame

Conclusion Contrary to common believe, CALD communities are ready to engage with HIV prevention and social research into HIV Essential: participation of ethnic communities in research process Importance of native language to research participants Heterogeneity of CALD communities and categories ‘Asian’ and ‘African’

Contrary to common believe, CALD communities are ready to engage with HIV prevention and social research into HIV

Essential: participation of ethnic communities in research process

Importance of native language to research participants

Heterogeneity of CALD communities and categories ‘Asian’ and ‘African’

Acknowledgements Tadgh McMahon, Wa’el Sabri, Barbara Luisi, Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service The Thai, Cambodia, Sudanese and Ethiopian co-workers of the Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service The Thai, Cambodian and African reference groups The 286 participants who completed the questionnaire NSW Health for funding

Tadgh McMahon, Wa’el Sabri, Barbara Luisi, Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service

The Thai, Cambodia, Sudanese and Ethiopian co-workers of the Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service

The Thai, Cambodian and African reference groups

The 286 participants who completed the questionnaire

NSW Health for funding