ABSTRACT
The relationship between migration and epidemic infectious diseases has long been a subject of concern, as well as the object of efforts to stop the spread of diseases. In recent years, and as the issue of international migration has moved to the forefront of national and international agendas, the link between HIV infection and migration, in particular, has raised the interest of researchers and policy-makers. It has been hypothesized that migrants are at increased risk of exposure to HIV, and to transmission of infection, due to an increase in HIVrelated vulnerability due to migration, such as the weakening of protective social norms during the migration process, and lack of information about – and protection from – HIV at destination (c.f. Decosas et al. 1995; International Organization for Migration 2005). Compelling evidence remains scarce, however. This chapter attempts to address this lack by examining the epidemiological evidence available about HIV infection among one group, international migrants in countries of destination
A review of available evidence was conducted using PubMed, with the following search terms: ‘HIV Infection’ and ‘Emigration’ and ‘Immigration’. Included were all studies that focused on migrants in destination countries; that reported HIV prevalence, related information on patterns of HIV transmission, and/or place where the infection was acquired (i.e. in country of origin or in destination country); and that were published between 1998 and 2008. A few additional studies were identified through contacts with offices of the International Organization for Migration and with researchers known to be working on the subject. Studies conducted specifically among internal migrants and internally displaced persons, as well as among people affected by humanitarian emergencies, such as refugees, were excluded (see Spiegel et al. 2007 for a recent review concerning such populations, as well as Roberts and Patel, this volume).
