HEALTH
men, do not register with GPs. It also tells us nothing about the state of health of those who register. 8.2 Health needs and risks Migrants’ health needs reflect the diversity of the group but they are mainly affected by individual characteristics (such as age, sex and ethnicity), country of origin and circumstances of migration, and socioeconomic conditions in the host country (Gilbert and Jones, 2006; Kelly et al, 2005). Young women, both those from Eastern Europe and those entering as family migrants, use health services during pregnancy (see section on gender). Health risk can vary among groups. Trafficked migrants – including women who work in the sex industry – are particularly vulnerable to health risks, given their dependence on the trafficker. Some groups of migrants, particularly undocumented migrants, may be especially at risk of infectious diseases but have very limited entitlement to health services (Gilbert and Jones, 2006). Undocumented migrant workers are often exploited and work in unregulated or sub-standard conditions which have their own health risks (Kelly et al, 2005). Some research also shows that the increased risk of infection in some non-UK born populations is in large part related to the higher prevalence of specific infections in the countries from which they originate (Gilbert and Jones, 2006). In relation to HIV/AIDS, Black Africans now represent the largest number of new diagnoses of all UK ethnic groups (Information Network on Good Practice in Health Care for Migrants and Minorities in Europe) 25 . Almost 25,000 people born in subSaharan Africa were estimated to be living with HIV in the UK in 2006, a proportion 50 times higher than whites. Black Africans constitute 70 per cent of heterosexual diagnoses, but only 1.3 per cent of diagnoses among men who have sex with men (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2007; Health Protection Agency, 2007). Although there exists a range of HIV prevention services available to African communities across England, there are limitations in HIV health promotion services (Chinouya, 2001) due to limited funding and capacity building, evidence-based interventions, use of traditional modes of communication on intimate issues, and limited inter-agency and inter-regional collaboration. The recommendations in the report by Chinouya (2001) were to: • Encourage inter-agency collaboration. •
Improve the dissemination of information about HIV prevention services.
•
Increase sustainable funding and capacity-building.
25
See http://mighealth.net/uk/index.php/African_migrants_and_HIV
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