HIV/AIDS risk behaviors among Myanmar migrants in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined HIV/AIDS risk behaviors and modifiable factors for prevention of HIV/AIDS among Myanmar Migrant labors in Khao San Road tourism area in Bangkok. 210 participants (Male 108, Female 102) age between 18 to 35 years were selected and a self-administered questionnaire was utilized to collect data of this study with snowball sampling technique. For data analysis, descriptive statistics was used for all variables and chi-square test, odds ratio and 95% CI were used to describe association between studied factors. Majority of the respondents were at the age of between 25-29years (mean age was 26.4 years). Most of them were Myanmar and Mon. Half of respondents was single. Nearly 70% had not completed compulsory education and worked as shop helpers in Khao San road. They could speak and understand Thai language. Those respondents got HIV information from mass media. The findings in this study suggested that the majority of participants had a moderate level of HIV/AIDS knowledge, mean score 9.73 (minimum 0 to maximum 14), SD ± 2.54. There was no statistically significant difference among male and female respondents about HIV/ AIDS knowledge. But male were more risky in sexual behaviors, alcohol and drug related risks than female. Male 13.6% who had with sex in this study reported they didn’t use condoms when having sex with commercial sex workers (CSW). There were nearly half of respondents who had sex with CSW after drinking alcohol/taking drug answered they had no history of condom use. No injected drug users were found in this study. There were significant associations between migrant status (p-value 0.027), occupation status (p-value 0.005) and visiting to sex workers, between age of respondents (p-value 0.004), gender (p-value <0.001), monthly average expenditure (p-value <0.001) and alcohol drinking and between occupation status (p-value 0.002), monthly income (p-value 0.041), monthly support to family (p-value 0.037) and drug use. Based on the results of this study, it can be convinced that there is still need to spread HIV health information for improvement of HIV/AIDS knowledge and safer sexual behavior among Myanmar migrant workers in Khao San Road, Phra Nakorn District, Bangkok Metropolitan.