Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110786

Robert Buckingham, DrPH¹, John Moraros, MD, MPH², Yelena Bird, MD, MPH², Surasri Prapasiri, BS², and Nancy Hempstead, BS². (1) Department of Health Science, New Mexico State University, MSC 3 HLS, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001, 646-8138, buckinghamrobert@hotmail.com, (2) College of Health and Social Services, New Mexico State University, 1335 International Mall, PO Box 30001, Office of the Dean, MSC 3446, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001

BACKGROUND: The rising HIV infection levels among Thai Female Sex Workers (FSW) throughout the 1990's resulted in subsequent waves of the HIV epidemic spreading among their male clients of FSW, their partners, and children. There are very few developing countries in the world that dealt with the HIV/AIDS epidemic more successfully than Thailand. Nonetheless, 1-in-100 Thais in this country of 63.6 million is infected with HIV and AIDS has become the leading cause of death. PURPOSE: This study sought to determine the actual levels of condom use by FSW in Thailand brothels. Specifically, it examined the influence that the country of origin of the FSW patrons exerted on usage of a condom, and it assessed the relevancy of constructs from the Health Belief Model in predicting FSW requesting condom usage by their clients. METHODOLOGY: A survey was administered to a cross-sectional nonrandomized convenience sample of 150 FSW in four geographic locations in Thailand. RESULTS: Statistical interpretation of the data indicated that Thai FSW requested condom use in 63% of the cases, while the overall mean of condom use was only 51%. Condom use by patrons' country of origin was as follows: Westerners 76%, Foreign Asians 52%, and native Thai men 27%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study fall considerably short of the Ministry of Health's goal of 100% condom use in Thai brothels. Furthermore, public health education initiatives need to effectively target the native Thai FSW patrons since they represented the clients least likely to use a condom (27%).

Learning Objectives:

• Participants would learn about the socio-cultural factors that influence the condom usage behaviors of female sex workers in Thailand.
• Investigators would explain the incidence and prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS and condom usage among female sex workers in Thailand. 3 Describe the role that medical care providers and public health officials can play in increasing awareness, especially among Thai man, of the importance of using condoms.

Keywords: Condom Use, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation