Barriers to health care services for migrants living with HIV in Spain

In Spain, migrants are disproportionately affected by HIV and experience high rates of late diagnosis. We investigated barriers to health care access among migrants living with HIV (MLWH) in Spain.

Cross sectional electronic survey of 765 adult HIV-positive migrants recruited within 18 health care settings between July 2013 and July 2015. We collected epidemiological, demographic, behavioral and clinical data. We estimated the prevalence and risk factors of self-reported barriers to health care using multivariable logistic regression.

Of those surveyed, 672 (88%) had information on health care access barriers: 23% were women, 63% from Latin America and Caribbean, 14% from Sub-Saharan Africa and 15% had an irregular immigration status. Men were more likely to report barriers than women (24% vs. 14%, P = 0.009). The main barriers were: lengthy waiting times for an appointment (9%) or in the clinic (7%) and lack of a health card (7%). Having an irregular immigration status was a risk factor for experiencing barriers for both men (OR: (4.0 [95%CI: 2.2-7.2]) and women (OR: 10.5 [95%CI: 3.1-34.8]). Men who experienced racial stigma (OR: 3.1 [95%CI: 1.9-5.1]) or food insecurity (OR: 2.1 [95%CI: 1.2-3.4]) were more likely to report barriers. Women who delayed treatment due to medication costs (6.3 [95%CI: 1.3-30.8]) or had a university degree (OR: 5.8 [95%CI: 1.3-25.1]) were more likely to report barriers.

Health care barriers were present in one in five5 MLWH, were more common in men and were associated to legal entitlement to access care, perceived stigma and financial constraints.