Paper
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Exploration of Safe Sex Practices for HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Rural Thai Women in Northern Thailand: Comparison of 1993 and 2003
Sujitra Tiansawad, DSN, Department of Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand and Susanha Yimyam, PhD, Department of Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
| Learning Objective #1: Understand abilities to practice safe sex among Thai women |
| Learning Objective #2: Understand the impact of HIV preventive efforts made by governmental and non-governmental organization in Thailand |
Objective: To determine impact of HIV preventive efforts made by governmental and nongovernmental organizations in Thailand throughout 1990s on safe sex practices for HIV prevention among rural women through a comparison of data collected in 1993 with those of 2003. Design: A descriptive comparative cohort design. Population, Sample, Setting, Years: Population was Thai women of reproductive age residing in rural areas of Northern Thailand. Sample of the first cohort, in 1993 were 309 women who were attending the mobile family planning clinics. For the second cohort in 2003, sample consisted of 166 married women enrolling at the primary care unit or family planning clinic of district hospitals. Variables Studied: Ability to practice safe sex and safe sex practice. Methods: Data were collected by structured interview using two Thai version instruments: the Self-Care Abilities for HIV Prevention and the Self-Care Practice for HIV Prevention. Findings: Overall ability to practice safe sex of women in the second cohort was significantly different from those of the first group. Women in the second cohort reported higher abilities in three aspects: understanding meaning and value of practicing safe sex, making judgment about when and how to act to prevent HIV, and planning actions to achieve proper use of condom. Proportion of consistent condom users, inconsistent users, and nonusers in the second group was significantly different from that of women in the first group. However, low rates of consistent use were found in both groups (1.3% and 7.8% respectively). Male partner did not like using condom was frequently reported by inconsistent users and nonusers of both groups. Conclusion: Over the past decade, abilities to practice safe sex and consistent condom use among women did not change significantly. Implication: To encourage safe sex practice among this population, additional efforts focusing on male sexual partners involvement are needed.
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