Evaluation of HIV/AIDS education initiatives among women in northeastern Thai villages.

A longitudinal, naturalistic experimental design was used in an evaluation of the effects of an HIV/AIDS educational pamphlet controlling for secular trends (most specifically media coverage of HIV/AIDS) in Northeastern Thailand. Nine hundred and fifty-four women from 18 villages completed KAP interviews either in the autumn of 1991 or 1992 with HIV/AIDS education pamphlets distributed to every household in 12 of these villages in the spring of 1992. Pamphlets influenced women's perceptions of personal risk from casual sources and the degree to which they volunteered that condoms were a means of prevention of HIV transmission. Both results were related to the content and style of presentation of information about sources of risk and about condoms in the pamphlets. Secular trends and an increase in communication between villagers had a significant influence on knowledge, perceived efficacy of self protection, readiness to use condoms, and perception of levels and sources of personal risk.

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about HIV/AIDS among women in northeastern Thailand.

Results of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices (KABP) interviews (N = 330) and focus groups (12 groups, 80 participants) addressing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS conducted with women living in rural villages in Khon Kaen province, Thailand, from November 1991 to January 1992 are reported. Women had obtained most of their information from television and radio. No AIDS health promotion programs had been targeted specifically to rural women. General knowledge regarding modes of transmission and prevention were good. The majority of women (85.5%) identified at least one known mode of transmission. Prostitution and contaminated needles were seen as the predominant sources of risk by these women. This knowledge, however, had not been applied to personal life circumstances in such a way that would facilitate avoidance of HIV infection. For example, few women considered themselves to be at risk for HIV infection even when they recognized that their husbands had engaged in risk-related behaviors (e.g., contracting for the services of commercial sex workers). Focus group discussions clarified the relationship between knowledge about HIV/AIDS, assessment of personal risk, use of condoms, and prevention strategies in general. Areas of misperception and confusion were identified, as well as potential vehicles for and content of AIDS health promotion initiatives. Results are currently being used to design health promotion interventions to reduce the spread of HIV.