Jayatilaka YMCNB. Use of condoms as HIVAIDS preventive behavior among Sri Lankan adult male visitors in Thailand. Master's Degree(Primary Health Care Management). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2008.
Use of condoms as HIVAIDS preventive behavior among Sri Lankan adult male visitors in Thailand
Abstract:
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted concerning preventive
behavior against HIV/AIDS among Sri Lankan adult male visitors to Thailand,
with the aim of identifying socio-demographic factors as well as knowledge and
perception about HIV/AIDS, the rate of participation in casual sex and the use of
condoms. This study was conducted in the Bangkok metropolitan area in January
and February, 2008. One hundred and five visitors were accidentally selected.
The results revealed the following specific characteristics of the visitors:
the mean age was 37.5 years; they possessed a comparatively high educational
level; 65.71 were married; and the majority (86.67%) were employed. Their main
reason for visiting was to participate in educational or training programmes.
Majority visited for first time, traveled alone and stayed less than two weeks.
This study showed that just above a half (56.19%) of the Sri Lankan
visitors to Thailand had engaged in paid or unpaid sex with one or multiple
partners. The knowledge about HIV/AIDS could be considered to be at a moderate
level. Just above the half of respondents had a moderate level of perception about
susceptibility and severity of HIV infection and had considered both the benefits
and barriers to the use of condoms as a preventive measure. The prevalence of use
of condoms was high as only one person had not used them and all the
respondents who had paid sex had used condoms.
There were significant associations between the practice of casual sex and
the educational level, occupation, number of visits, traveling companions and
duration of stay. There were no significant associations between the use of
condoms as preventive behavior and any of the socio-demographic characteristics,
knowledge or perception of HIV/AIDS