HIV-Infected Sub-Saharan Migrants in Switzerland: Advancing Cross-Cultural Health Assessment

HIV prevalence among sub-Saharan migrants in Switzerland has continuously increased in the past 2 decades. These patients present later and with more health impairments at clinical settings compared with non-Africans. Therefore, cross-cultural challenges, which are relatively new to many nurses, arise. Qualitative interview data with 10 HIV-infected and 30 noninfected sub-Saharan African migrants (including 10 who were peer educators) living in Switzerland showed that HIV infection was characterized as invisible, shameful, risky, and treatable, representing helpful and problematic factors. Thus, participants lived with contradictory realities that needed to be appropriately assessed and acknowledged by clinicians. This was particularly important because these migrants remain under treatment for an extensive period of time because of the chronic nature of HIV disease. There is a need for nurse clinicians who are able to apply cross-cultural assessment strategies and to concurrently provide a quick and sound clinical grasp of the migrants' illness needs.

Key words: cross-cultural health assessment, HIV, sub-Saharan African migrants, Switzerland