HIV vulnerability in migrant populations in southern Africa: Sociological, cultural, health-related, and human-rights perspectives

The International Organization for Migration has noted that migration is the strongest single predictor of HIV risk and prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. Several major factors affect HIV vulnerability in migrant populations in southern Africa. This paper will address the issues of HIV disease in migrant populations from health-related, sociological, cultural and human-rights approaches. A review of the literature was conducted to examine the issues related to HIV and migration in southern Africa and the complex issues in the post-colonial period that place people at risk for acquiring HIV. The multi-faceted relationship between migration and HIV is a critical link to infection and the sexual networks that occur with migration are known to expand the spread of the disease, intersect with cultural and social mores, as well as human rights, and increase vulnerability for migrants, sex workers, and families at home. Migrants often seek work in new regions for economic, political and social reasons, but often are ill-informed about the dangers associated with migration. Structural, cultural, social, health-related, and human-rights dimensions that influence migration and the risk of HIV disease are explored. A model for understanding the factors associated with increased risk of HIV acquisition was developed.