Restricted access to antiretroviral treatment for undocumented migrants

A bottle neck to control the HIV epidemic in the EU/EEA

Bibliographic Data

ID15363745
AuthorsJessika Deblonde (0000-0002-8989-0091, Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique, corresponding author), André Deeke Sasse (0000-0002-3038-3933, Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique), André Sasse, Julia del Amo (0000-0002-3104-540X, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Fiona Burns (0000-0002-9105-2441, University College London), Valerie Delpech (0000-0002-9952-8109, Public Health England), Susan Cowan (0000-0002-4009-3710, Statens Serum Institut), Michele LeVoy, Lilana Keith, Anastasia Pharris (0000-0002-7196-657X, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), Andrew J Amato‐Gauci (0000-0002-8053-4015, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), Andrew Amato-Gauci, Teymur Noori (0000-0002-8935-749X, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
Year2015
Volume15
Issue1
Pages1228-1228
Publication date2015-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMC Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1471-2458 • E-ISSN: 1471-2458
PublisherBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s12889-015-2571-y
PMID26654427
OpenAlexW2195684500
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited76

Migrants are confronted with multiple risk factors that shape patterns of population HIV susceptibility and vulnerability, which simultaneously affect HIV transmission. Undocumented migrants incur additional risks for contracting HIV due to limited access to adequate health care services, protection and justice, alongside insecure housing and employment conditions. All EU/EEA countries have ratified a number of international and regional human rights instruments that enshrine access to health care as a human right that should be available to everyone without discrimination. From a clinical and public health perspective, early HIV care and treatment is associated with viral suppression, improved health outcomes and reductions in transmission risks. A current challenge of the HIV epidemic is to reach the highest proportion of overall viral suppression among people living with HIV in order to impact on HIV transmission. Although the majority of EU/EEA countries regard migrants as an important sub-population for their national responses to HIV, and despite the overwhelming evidence of the individual and public health benefits associated with HIV care and treatment, a significant number of EU/EEA countries do not provide antiretroviral treatment to undocumented migrants. HIV transmission dynamics in migrant populations depend on the respective weight of all risk and vulnerability factors to which they are exposed, which act together in a synergistic way. People who are not linked to HIV care will continue to unwillingly contribute to the on-going transmission of HIV. Following the recommendations of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, ensuring access to HIV-care for all sub-populations, including undocumented migrants, would fulfil the human rights of those populations and also strengthen the control of HIV incidence among those not currently able to access HIV care

Biostatistics · Business · Economic growth · Environmental health · European union · Health care · International trade · Population · Public health · Transmission (telecommunications · Vulnerability (computing · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Nursing