Michele G. Shedlin, PhD¹, Carlos U. Decena, PhD Candidate¹, and Denise Oliver-Velez, PhD Candidate². (1) Institute for AIDS Research, National Development & Research Institutes, 71 West 23 St. 8th fl., New York, NY 10010, (212) 845 4549, Decena@ndri.org, (2) State University of New York, New Paltz, 1942 Route 32, Saugerties, NY 12477

BACKGROUND: Hispanics in the US have been found to be at high risk for HIV. Health policy and prevention priority setting are often tied to categories that though useful in naming these populations—such as “Hispanic”—can be vague, contradictory and may obfuscate nuances and linkages of social context to health risk behavior in vulnerable sectors within these populations. This presentation introduces disrupted communities to describe new immigrant living situations where pre-existing social structures re-form in the receiving society in a fragmented way. METHODS: The study employs qualitative methods to identify and describe social and behavioral contexts for HIV risk among recent immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Mexico in urban, suburban and semi-rural locations in the NY area. Data were collected through in-depth interviews (N=51) and 11 focus groups (N=86). RESULTS: Data suggest that characteristics of disrupted communities influence both retention and change in gender roles, alcohol and other drug use patterns, men’s sexual relations with sex workers and partners, domestic violence, and other issues relevant to HIV and other health risks. New environments introduce health risks and prevention resources, while sustained connections to sending communities may support retention of attitudes and behaviors with both positive and negative health implications (e.g., such as norms regulating sexual behavior, which may foster use of prostitution while at the same time may limit the number of romantic/sexual partners within or outside the group). CONCLUSIONS: Disrupted communities provide specific risks and resources for the health of new immigrants. Understanding this environmental and sociocultural context for new immigrants can inform public health programs and policy relative to immigration and health.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the range of meanings attributed to terms such as “community” and “Latino” within the interrelated areas of research, advocacy and public policy.
• To describe what differentiates disrupted communities from other emergent forms of immigrant “community” in the research areas.
• To analyze the specific social and behavioral contexts for risk and prevention within disrupted communities.
• To evaluate the usefulness of the analytical distinction between disrupted and other types of “communities” for HIV/STI prevention, care policy making.

Keywords: Immigration, Community Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.