3rd International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment Rio de Janeiro - July 24 - 27, 2005

EXPLORING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV PRIOR TO HAART: EXPERIENCES FROM THAILAND

IAS Conf HIV Pathog Treat 2005 Jul 24-27;3rd: Abstract No. TuOa0404

Oberdorfer A.¹, Chariyalertsak S.², Thapinta D.³, Suwantherangoon J.¹, Guest P.⁴, Wu A.⁵, Sarna A.^6
1Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, ²The Research Institute for Health and Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, ³Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, ⁴Population Council, Bangkok, Thailand, ⁵Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States of America, ⁶Horizons, Population Council, New Delhi, India

INTRODUCTION: Sexual transmission is one of the most common modes of HIV transmission among people in Thailand. However little is known about the sexual behavior of people living with HIV prior to HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy). The study aimed to determine sexual behavior of people living with HIV prior to HAART.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV-infected people aged from 18 years up in 4 provinces in northern Thailand who sought for HAART at 45 public hospitals. A semi-structured questionnaire with a 6-month recall reference period was used to determine sexual behavior related issues.

RESULTS: Seven hundred and fifty-three people living with HIV aged 18 years to 73 years (average age 35 years, 48% males) were interviewed. Participants who had higher CD4 T-cell counts and were currently married reported having more sexual activities (p<0.005). Thirty-seven percent reported having sex with a regular partner in the last 6 months. Among these, 66% knew their partner's HIV status; 21% had discordant relationships. Thirty-four percent reported not using a condom at last sexual contact. About half (52%) of them were persons who did not know their partner's HIV status, and 39% were persons who disclosed their HIV status to their partners and their partner's HIV status was also positive.

CONCLUSIONS: Consistent condom use was lower among some specific participants especially those who did not know about the HIV status of their partners as well as those couples who both were HIV positive. Disclosure and consistent condom use should be encouraged among these groups.

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Prevention | TuOa0404 | Aurmporn Oberdorfer
10.7 546 10.7 Sexual transmission

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