Migration and HIV: an epidemiological study of Montrealers of Haitian origin

We aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV infection and associated risk f actors among Montrealers of Haitian origin. We carried out a voluntary, ano nymous survey in 7 primary care medical clinics in Montreal among 5039 pers ons aged 15 to 49 years born in Haiti or with at least one parent born in H aiti. The participation rate was 94.3%. Overall, HIV prevalence was 1.3% (1 .6% in men and 1.1% in women). The HIV prevalence was lower among those bor n in Canada or who had resided in Canada longer. The prevalence among subje cts who had travelled to Haiti in the previous 5 years was 2.0%, twice the rate of those who had not. The adjusted population attributable fraction of HIV infections associated with having had unprotected sex in Haiti was 10. 2%. This study identified risk factors which will help in the design of mor e effective prevention programmes among Montrealers of Haitian origin.