AIDS 2002
      News & Abstracts: Abstract


            Code :WePeE6574

            Title :AIDS/HIV knowledge and risk behaviors among three classes of 
            female sex workers in Vietnam 

            Authors :M N Le
            San Francisco State University, San Francisco, United States
            Abstract:



            Background: The goal of this study is to help stem the spread of 
            HIV/AIDS in Vietnam by advancing the understanding of critical 
            factors for the development of effective preventive interventions 
            with three occupational classes of sex workers in Ho Chi Minh City. 

            Methods: Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 
            three classes of sex workers: low, middle and high. 

            Results: The data presented here were collected from 310 sex 
            workers. This research revealed that the women in the study are not 
            homogenous. They have quite diverse. Overall, the majority of women 
            possessed a high degree of knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission. 
            However, the women in the lower and middle classes still had 
            inaccurate information pertaining to intimate mode of HIV/AIDS 
            transmission. All three classes of women revealed that they rarely 
            use condoms with their husbands or lovers. Surprisingly, the women 
            in the middle occupational class had the lowest rate of condom use 
            with both regular and new clients than both the lower and upper 
            class. Furthermore, the women in the lower class reported more STDs 
            than both the middle and higher classes. 



            Conclusion: This research has shown that occupational class is a key 
            determinant in level of knowledge and risk practices of HIV 
            transmission among female sex workers in Ho Chi Minh City. New 
            prevention programs are needed for sex industry workers in the 
            middle and upper classes, and existing programs for workers in the 
            lower class must be improved with more effective approaches. 
            However, differences in occupational class may be associated with 
            differences in the prevention messages that reach sex industry 
            workers, how they perceive and understand them, and the actions that 
            these women realistically can take to reduce the risk of spreading 
            the HIV virus.The 'social' norms of each of the groups are very 
            different. It crucial to fully understand these differences in order 
            to develop effective and appropriate interventions for these groups.





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