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HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge and Behaviors Among Most-at-Risk Populations in Vietnam.

ABSTRACT: The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) in implementing behavior change strategies to slow the HIV epidemic. These programs target commercial sex workers (CSW), injection drug users (IDU), and men who have sex with men (MSM). Using data from a program evaluation to assess effectiveness of the PEPFAR intervention, we conducted a sub-analysis of HIV/AIDS knowledge, sexual behaviors, and injection drug risk behaviors among 2,199 Vietnamese respondents, including those reporting recent contact with an outreach worker and those who did not report contact. We found overall high levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, low rates of needle sharing, and moderate to high rates of inconsistent condom use. Average knowledge scores of IDU were significantly higher than non-IDU for antiretroviral treatment knowledge, while MSM had significantly less knowledge of treatment compared to non-MSM. HIV/AIDS-related knowledge was not significantly associated with needle-sharing practices. Knowledge was modestly but significantly associated with more consistent use of condoms with primary and commercial sex partners, even after controlling for contact with an outreach worker. Contact with an outreach worker was also an independent predictor of more consistent condom use. Outreach programs appear to play a meaningful role in changing sexual behavior, though the effect of outreach on IDU risk behaviors was less clear. More research is needed to understand the relationship between outreach programs and skill development, motivation, and use of referral services by most-at-risk populations in Vietnam.

SUBMITTER: Vian T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3502889 | biostudies-other | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge and Behaviors Among Most-at-Risk Populations in Vietnam.

Vian Taryn T Semrau Katherine K Hamer Davidson H DH Loan Le Thi Thanh le TT Sabin Lora L LL

The open AIDS journal 20121116

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) in implementing behavior change strategies to slow the HIV epidemic. These programs target commercial sex workers (CSW), injection drug users (IDU), and men who have sex with men (MSM). Using data from a program evaluation to assess effectiveness of the PEPFAR intervention, we conducted a sub-analysis of HIV/AIDS knowledge, sexual behaviors, and injection drug risk behaviors among 2 ...[more]

PMID: 23173025

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Residents in border areas are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to high rates of risk behaviors such as unprotected sexual practices or illicit drug use. Improving knowledge and attitude toward HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment are vital to diminish the burden of the HIV epidemic in this setting. However, evidence about this issue in Vietnam has been limited. This study aims to explore the knowledge and attitude toward HIV/AIDS among people in Vietnam border zones. METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional study in three border communes in Thanh Hoa province with 600 HIV(-) residents. Data about socio-demographic characteristics, general HIV knowledge, knowledge about prevention of mother-to-child transmission, treatment and care, HIV testing services, and attitude toward HIV/AIDS were collected. Multivariate Tobit regression was used to determine related factors with the knowledge and attitude. RESULTS:The highest percentage of people having correct statements was for "HIV could be transmitted from mother to child" (98.2%), while the lowest percentage was for item "Know health facilities where HIV-positive people could register for care and check-up" (28.2%). People had the highest score in "Knowledge about HIV transmission routes" and the lowest score in "Knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention measures". Most of the people were not afraid of being exposed to HIV-positive individuals (66.0%), willing to buy goods from HIV-positive sellers (78.9%), and willing to take care of people living with HIV in their family (90.1%). Education, ethnic, marital status, occupations, and HIV/AIDS information sources were found to be associated with knowledge and attitude toward HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSIONS:The general knowledge and attitude on HIV/AIDS of residents were relatively good. Educational campaigns to improve knowledge and attitude toward PLWH, involving peer educators and local associations, are potential strategies for sustaining HIV intervention in this remote setting.

Project description:BackgroundIn Heilongjiang province, the HIV prevalence in men who have sex with men (MSM) is generally lower than other part of China. However, the official perception for their risk of HIV/AIDS infection has been increasing in the province over the years. Moreover, little information on HIV/AIDS was provided to the communities so that we have disadvantage of controlling HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of HIV among MSM in Heilongjiang province, to assess their knowledge levels and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, and to explore their associations with information resources.MethodsA cross-sectional study using a standardized questionnaire and blood test was administered in 2008 by local interviewers to a sample (1353) of MSM in four cities in Heilongjiang province.ResultsAmong 1353 MSM, 2.3% were identified with HIV infection. About 48.7% of the subjects had multiple male sexual partners and only 37.3% of the subjects had consistent condom use (use every time) in the past 6 months. Most had a fair level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS, with the highest mean knowledge score among the MSM from Jiamusi, those with income 2000-3000 RMB/month, those searching sexual partners via internet and those performed HIV testing over 1 year ago). However, some myths regarding viral transmission (e.g., via mosquito bites or sharing kitchen utensils) also existed. Resources of information from which knowledge and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS was most available were television (58.6%) among MSM, followed by sexual partner (51.6%), publicity material (51.0%) and internet (48.7%). Significantly statistical differences of mean knowledge score were revealed in favor of book (P = 0.0002), medical staff (P = 0.0007), publicity material (P = 0.005) and sexual partner (P = 0.02). Press (P = 0.04) and book (P = 0.0003) were contributory to the most frequent condom use (condom use every time), while medical staff (P = 0.005) and publicity material (P = 0.04) is associated with moderate rate of condom use (condom use often).ConclusionsAlthough the prevalence of HIV infection is low among MSM in Heilongjiang province, the situation that the risk behaviors were frequent in the population is alarming. The study suggests that some strategies like condom use and education intervention are practical approaches and need to be strengthened.

Project description:In recent years, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among Chinese university students has increased significantly, and HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) comprises more than half of the new cases. There is still a lack of research investigating the incidence of male-to-male sex, the attitudes towards MSM, and the awareness of HIV/AIDS among university students in Guangxi, one of the HIV high-risk areas in China. Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional investigation among 578 male students, recruited by stratified sampling, in universities in Nanning, Guangxi, between January 2016 and March 2017. Researcher-administered anonymous questionnaires were completed. Self-recognition as MSM was found in 8.48% of the subjects. Compared with non-MSM, university student MSM included more people over the age of 20 (OR = 4.95), had less migration from other districts of Guangxi (OR = 0.26), and the majority were nonmedical students (OR = 8.99). In total, 63.25% of the male student participants reported a lack of acceptance of MSM, while 35.47% acknowledged barriers between themselves and acquaintances who were MSM. Overall, 67.30% of the subjects correctly answered questions related to AIDS knowledge. The proportion of MSM subjects who answered the AIDS-related questions completely correctly was significantly lower than that of non-MSM subjects (42.86% vs. 69. 57%, respectively, OR: 0.33), but the self-recognition risk of MSM was significantly higher than that of non-MSM (OR = 2.59). Risky behaviors associated with HIV infections, including smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and inconsistent condom use, were significantly higher among the MSM participants. The percentages of student's willingness to accept MC and PrEP were 70.93% and 77.51%, respectively. These results raise the alarm that university student MSM in Guangxi, China, require urgent public attention and more effective health education, including the education on MC and PrEP.

Project description:HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors are a huge barrier to early detection and treatment of individuals with the AIDS virus. HIV/AIDS stigma and related consequences are debilitating, especially for vulnerable populations. This study sought to assess whether young women's HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and exposure to mass media (television and radio) have an influence on their stigmatizing behaviors and role as agents of stigma towards individuals living with HIV and AIDS. The data used for this study originated from the Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011. Binary and multiple (stepwise) logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between HIV/AIDS knowledge, frequency of exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors among young women aged 15-24 years in Ghana. Of the 3573 young women, 80% of 15-19-year-olds and 76% of 20-24-year-olds had at least one stigmatizing behavior towards persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Young women with increased knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS and frequent exposure to mass media (television and radio) had lesser tendency to stigmatize or act as agents of stigma towards PLHA (proportion with at least one stigmatizing behavior per subgroup - HIV/AIDS knowledge: those with highest knowledge score 579 [70.1%], those with lowest knowledge score 28 [90.3%]; mass media: those with daily exposure 562 [73.4%], those not exposed at all 249 [89.2%]). There was a graded negative 'exposure-response' association between the ranked variables: HIV/AIDS knowledge, mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors. The significant inverse association between HIV/AIDS knowledge, frequency of exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors persisted even after adjusting for all other covariates in the multiple logistic regression models. It is extremely important to increase HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and reduce stigma among young women in Ghana through targeted HIV/AIDS factual knowledge transfer. The use of mass media for communication of issues regarding HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission, and associated stigma should be emphasized among women in Ghana.

Dataset Information

HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge and Behaviors Among Most-at-Risk Populations in Vietnam.

Publications

HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge and Behaviors Among Most-at-Risk Populations in Vietnam.

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