Africans in the UK

BASS Line, the largest study ever conducted of HIV-prevention needs among African people in England, found that a considerable minority of African people have significant gaps in their understanding of HIV testing and treatment.¹ A quarter of those who would like to test did not know where tests are available, and one-fifth did not know that effective HIV treatment existed.

BASS Line surveyed 4712 adults identifying as African and living in England. Just under half (47%) of respondents had never tested for HIV. People who had tested were probably over-represented because the survey was distributed by HIVprevention, treatment and care providers.

The survey found that one-third of those who had not tested HIV-positive would like to take an HIV test (either again or for the first time). However, over a quarter of this group did not know where they could be tested, highlighting the need for more information on service provision.

Large minorities were also unaware of a number of key facts about HIV testing and treatment.

While more than nine out of ten respondents knew that HIV is a virus that causes AIDS, or that HIV is never passed on through everyday social contact, a number of respondents did not know, or were unsure about, some other key statements:

• “There is a medical test that can show whether or not you have HIV”: 12% did not know, or were not sure, about this.
• “People can have HIV without knowing it”: 16% did not know, or were not sure, about this.
• “There are HIV medicines that can help people with HIV to stay healthy”: 19% did not know, or were not sure, about this.
• “Africans are NOT deported from the UK solely because they have HIV”: 42% did not know, or were not sure, about this.

The majority of participants were unaware that around one in twenty African people in the UK have HIV, and when those who had never tested were asked why not, one reason was far more common than all the others: the respondent had no reason to think he or she had HIV (69%). All other reasons had the agreement of 12% or less of the sample.

The researchers recommend that in order to increase testing rates among this community “it will be necessary to increase ambivalence about the likelihood that [individuals] could have HIV infection”.