A Qualitative Analysis of HIV Risk Perception among African-Immigrants in the United States.
Abstract
Nigerian-born immigrants, a sub-group of Non-Refugee African Immigrants (NRAIs), may be contributing to the high prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infection in the AA population as they travel from a high prevalence HIV country (Nigeria) to the United States (US), a low prevalence. When immigrants with communicable diseases such as HIV engage in sexual mixing with different racial/ethnic individuals inside and outside their sexual networks, there is the possibility of cross-transmission of the disease to unsuspecting individuals. Despite this knowledge, there are limited studies regarding Nigerian African Immigrants (NAIs) about their sexual practices in the context of HIV/AIDS. A qualitative study with NAIs residing in Houston, Texas, on sexual behaviors that exposes the host country residents to the contraction of HIV infection, was conducted with 13 individuals age 18-49 using a phenomenology approach. The participants were purposefully selected in a face-to-face interview using semi-structured open-ended interview questions. A maximum variation technique was used in the selection of participants. A descriptive analysis of the collected data was achieved using NViVo 11. The HBM theoretical lens used in designing the interview questions to explore the views of the participants in the contraction of HIV infection and to predict their behavior. The findings of the research confirmed that 61% of the study participants engaged in sexual mixing with other race/ethnic groups outside their sexual network. The researcher’s conversation with the participants during the interview, most of the participants stated that their only exposure to HIV information had been in Nigeria and had never really come across public campaigns about HIV/AIDS in the US. This information is useful for the promotion of preventative measure in the AIs communities across the US before HIV infection becomes an epidemic among the sub-group.