Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of Chinese migrants in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania toward HIV⁄AIDS

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABPs) among Chinese migrant labourers in Nairobi (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), during 3-26 August 2005, and to examine the current status of access to AIDS-related healthcare services in these east African cities. Of 121 male labourers who spoke neither English nor Swahili, 109 (90.9%) had a high school education or less. The survey revealed that the migrants' AIDS-related knowledge was poor, for example, very few (n=4, 3.3%) were aware of the epidemiological status of HIV in these 2 cities. Negative attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were widespread, and the majority (n=94, 77.7%) did not make use of AIDS-related healthcare services or education. Although the main information resources on HIV/AIDS in China were television (n=94, 77.7%), books and newspapers (n=78, 64.5%) and radio (n=51, 42.1%), these sources were much less common in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam (P<0.001 for each). One-third (n=44, 36.4%) did not have any information resources in these 2 cities. These results indicate that Chinese migrant labourers are at risk of HIV infection in the 2 African cities. Appropriate education for the general population in China and for migrants in these 2 cities regarding HIV/AIDS, along with relevant information resources that are more accessible and useful for migrants in East Africa, are therefore needed to minimize the risk of infection.