Latino immigrant day laborers (LIDLs) are at heightened risk for drug abuse and dependence as a result of their unique social, situational and contextual circumstances. Low rates of access and utilization of drug treatment and health services and the high mobility of this primarily single and undocumented male population is of great public health relevance due to their potential to act as a """"""""bridge for infection"""""""" in the spred of HIV and other blood borne pathogens within the Latino community. Yet data regarding the characteristics of this hard-to-reach population and their involvement in drug and sexual risk behavior is sparse. Even less is known about the experiences of LIDLs that settle in """"""""new settlement destinations"""""""" or areas without a prior presence of a Latino community. For LIDLs who migrate to new settlement cities, exposure to risk factors may be even higher due to lack of family and conventional sex partners. The emphasis of this study is on how the context of a new immigrant settlement as well as individual and migration factors impact the drug use patterns of three groups of LIDLs: premigration drug initiators (current drug users who initiated use before migration), postmigration drug initiators (current drug users who initiated use in the U.S.) and non-drug users (no drug use in the last year). Comparing patterns of use between these three groups will identify distinct risk and protective factors that have implications for use as interventional components. Baltimore is an optimal context to examine drug initiation and use among LIDLs as Latinos represent the fastest growing ethnic group in the city and have experienced nearly doubling of HIV/AIDS incidence in the last decade. Using social ecology theory, this social epidemiological study will identify, recruit and interview 75 LIDLs. Respondents will be recruited from identified day labor sites in Baltimore. Using an ethnographic methodological approach, an adaptive sampling methodology will be implemented with elements of field intensive outreach, Rapid Assessment for Response and Evaluation, and targeted snowball sampling. Data will be collected from three groups of LIDLs: premigration drug initiators (n=25);postmigration drug initiators (n=25);and, non-drug users (n=25) (no drug use in the last year). Findings regarding the diffusion of HIV-related risks as well as drug practices may challenge traditional modes of treatment and shift clinical practice paradigms by indicating important points for prevention and intervention with this understudied population. To further understand these drug use patterns and adverse health behaviors, this study will: 1.Characterize qualitatively the drug use (initiation, patterns and practices) and drug and sexual risk behaviors among male LIDLs in Baltimore;2. Identify and provide a detailed qualitative description of risk and protective factors associated with individual characteristics (background characteristics, perceived discrimination, acculturative stress) and migration factors among male LIDLs in Baltimore;3. Document the unique contextual factors within a new immigrant settlement community that contribute to the emergence of adverse health related drug and sexual risk behavior.
due to their potential to act as a bridge for infection in the spred of HIV and other blood borne pathogens within the Latino community. Yet data regarding the characteristics of this hard-to-reach population and their involvement in drug and sexual risk behavior is sparse. Even less is known about the experiences of LIDLs that settle in new settlement destinations or areas without a prior presence of a Latino community. For LIDLs who migrate to new settlement cities, exposure to risk factors may be even higher due to lack of family and conventional sex partners. The emphasis of this study is on how the context of a new immigrant settlement as well as individual and migration factors impact the drug use patterns of three groups of LIDLs: premigration drug initiators (current drug users who initiated use before migration), postmigration drug initiators (current drug users who initiated use in the U.S.) and non-drug users (no drug use in the last year). Comparing patterns of use between these three groups will identify distinct risk and protective factors that have implications for use as interventional components. Baltimore is an optimal context to examine drug initiation and use among LIDLs as Latinos represent the fastest growing ethnic group in the city and have experienced nearly doubling of HIV/AIDS incidence in the last decade. Using social ecology theory, this social epidemiological study will identify, recruit and interview 75 LIDLs. Respondents will be recruited from identified day labor sites in Baltimore. Using an ethnographic methodological approach, an adaptive sampling methodology will be implemented with elements of field intensive outreach, Rapid Assessment for Response and Evaluation, and targeted snowball sampling. Data will be collected from three groups of LIDLs: premigration drug initiators (n=25);postmigration drug initiators (n=25);and, non-drug users (n=25) (no drug use in the last year). Findings regarding the diffusion of HIV-related risks as well as drug practices may challenge traditional modes of treatment and shift clinical practice paradigms by indicating important points for prevention and intervention with this understudied population. To further understand these drug use patterns and adverse health behaviors, this study will: 1.Characterize qualitatively the drug use (initiation, patterns and practices) and drug and sexual risk behaviors among male LIDLs in Baltimore;2. Identify and provide a detailed qualitative description of risk and protective factors associated with individual characteristics (background characteristics, perceived discrimination, acculturative stress) and migration factors among male LIDLs in Baltimore;3. Document the unique contextual factors within a new immigrant settlement community that contribute to the emergence of adverse health related drug and sexual risk behavior. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The public health significance of this proposed research lies in the target population - the potential of Latino immigrant day laborers to act as a bridge for infection in the spread of HIV and other blood-borne pathogens within the Latino community, including non-drug using populations. Data will also contribute significantly to the development of targeted interventions and public health programming for this mobile population.
