RESUMEN
From January 1994 to December 1995, a total of 71,249 patients (37,167 in 1994 and 34.082 in 1995) attended the clinic for labourers going abroad at Siriraj Hospital for a pre-assignment physical exam and mandatory blood screen for HIV antibody Of this total, 300 tested positive for HIV antibody (0.8 per cent) in 1994 and 244 (0.7 per cent) in 1995 respectively. The largest proportion of HIV positive persons were from the upper northern provinces of Thailand, Bangkok and Samutprakran (0.8 to 3.0 per cent). Of 614 labourers who volunteered to participate in an interview on the level of knowledge about AIDS, which was conducted by a clinic nurse, 13.6 per cent of the participants accepted that they were more likely to have had sexual intercourse with female commercial sex workers or other women, rather than their wives. Sexual intercourse appears to be the most plausible mode of HIV transmission for those Thai labourers who tested HIV transmission for those Thai labourers who tested HIV –positive, as none had history of injecting drugs. Therefore it is imperative to continue efforts to promote 100 per cent condom use in commercial sex as the norm. In addition, a notification link should be established between the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, job placement agencies, the AIDS division and the nearest provincial medical authority, in to provide post-test counseling and follow-up on regular basis to this group of Thai labourers as those who are infected may transmit HIV to others in their home provinces.
RESUMEN
From August 1993 to October 1994, 322 women attended or were referred to a female sexually transmitted disease clinic, were studied for the prevalence of HIV infection. No subject had a history of commercial sex work, injection drugs use or blood transfusion within the past 8 years. The majority of women belonged to the low socioeconomic stratum. HIV-1 antibody was found in the sera of 38 women (11.8%). HIV-1 seropositivity was not associated with any type of current sexually transmitted disease such as genital ulcers, serologic markers of syphilis or other sexually transmitted disease as well as history of past sexually transmitted disease within the past 2 years. Significant differential factors were found between the HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative women for self risk assessment and ability to communicate concerns with the husband or partner regarding HIV infection/AIDS. Programs are urgently needed for HIV/AIDS prevention and control to low-income communities and to determine what factors enable the HIV-1 seronegative women to be more assertive in their relationship and whether these skills can be enhanced to eliminate future episodes of STD and transfer these skills to the more vulnerable low-income women. Early diagnosis and prevention of HIV infection among women is a priority for public health interventions both in industrialized and in developing countries.