Preventing HIV among migrants
Fernández-Sánchez studies risks facing people in transit through Mexico
Higinio Fernández-Sánchez, PhD, RN, grew up as an undocumented migrant. His first-hand experience has fueled a long-standing commitment to social justice and health equity. It also served as a driving force behind a recent $11,500 grant he received from UTHealth Houston’s Office of Global Initiatives.
Fernández-Sánchez, an assistant professor and early-stage investigator at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, will use the award for this research project, “Challenges in Transit Migration: Ethnographic Insights into Human Trafficking, Violence, and HIV.” He will delve into the experiences of Spanish-speaking migrants in transit through Mexico.
"Migrants transiting through Mexico face a variety of risks, including trafficking, violence, and limited access to health care. These factors not only exacerbate their vulnerability to HIV but also highlight the need for comprehensive, culturally sensitive prevention strategies," said Fernández-Sánchez.
By embedding himself in shelters along four key migration routes, Fernández-Sánchez aims to better understand the challenges migrants face. He will spend a week at each shelter and conduct in-depth interviews and participant observations to gather data about the migrants’ preferences and barriers to HIV prevention. His goal is to develop a data-driven framework for targeted interventions that consider cultural and technological factors.
Upon completing his visits to the shelters, Fernández-Sánchez plans to maintain the relationships and conduct periodic check-ins to ensure the well-being of the migrants and keep the dialogue going.
“I believe insights gained from the study will not only lead to the development of targeted interventions but also contribute to broader efforts to address the structural inequities that make migrants a vulnerable population in the first place,” said Fernández-Sánchez. “This research has the potential to start bringing about significant change, offering hope for a better future for these communities.”
Laura Frnka-Davis
