Abstract
In New York City, HIV is increasingly concentrated in the foreign-born population, necessitating a greater exploration of
the mechanisms through which changes in behavior and risk for HIV occur within migrant populations. Interviews were conducted
with 22 Honduran-born Garifuna women to explore partnerships, sexual behaviors, and HIV risk in the context of migration,
and transcripts were coded by thematic analysis procedures. Five themes emerged: (1) migration ends relationships, (2) new
relationships in the U.S. form because of material and psychological needs, (3) secondary sexual partnerships are a man’s
issue, (4) female secondary sexual partnership participation as a marker of equality, and (5) monogamy due to a lack of time.
These findings suggest that greater attention be paid to women’s participation in secondary sexual partnerships for purposes
other than economic need, and demonstrate a need for HIV interventions that are based in an understanding of how the social
context of migration affects sexual behaviors.
the mechanisms through which changes in behavior and risk for HIV occur within migrant populations. Interviews were conducted
with 22 Honduran-born Garifuna women to explore partnerships, sexual behaviors, and HIV risk in the context of migration,
and transcripts were coded by thematic analysis procedures. Five themes emerged: (1) migration ends relationships, (2) new
relationships in the U.S. form because of material and psychological needs, (3) secondary sexual partnerships are a man’s
issue, (4) female secondary sexual partnership participation as a marker of equality, and (5) monogamy due to a lack of time.
These findings suggest that greater attention be paid to women’s participation in secondary sexual partnerships for purposes
other than economic need, and demonstrate a need for HIV interventions that are based in an understanding of how the social
context of migration affects sexual behaviors.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-012-9615-5
- Authors
- Suzanne M. Dolwick Grieb, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Room 753, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Jaughna Nielsen-Bobbit, EngenderHealth, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912