Background: In 2002, the HIV infection rate in Thai young adults increased from 11% to 17 %. Heterosexual intercourse accounted for 85% of cases. It is culturally inappropriate to conduct public discussions of sexual topics in Thailand; therefore, sex education in schools is limited. As a result of insufficient knowledge of sexual matters, Thai young adults are not adequately prepared to negotiate for safer sex practices.
Purpose: To determine whether negotiation skills for safer sex and HIV/AIDS knowledge are associated with safer sexual practices among Thai young adults from two different geographic areas.
Methods: Unmarried Thai students (n=405) aged 18-24 years completed a 7-section self-administered questionnaire about HIV risk behaviors. The participants attended one of four federal vocational schools in Bangkok (urban, n=200) or one of four federal vocational schools in Surin (rural, n=205). Sexual Relationship Power Scale and Sexual Negotiation Scale were used to measure operational negotiation skills. Knowledge of AIDS was measured using an eighteen items HIV/AIDS knowledge questionnaire.
Results: Differences in negotiation skills between rural and urban groups were non significant (t=1.168, p=0.24). According to the results of a logistic regression model, HIV/AIDS knowledge and negotiation skill are not significant predictors of condom use. However, in explaining multiple partners, low negotiation skill is significant but level of HIV/AIDS knowledge is not significant. The low negotiation group is 2.1 times more likely to have multiple partners (OR=2.1, p=0.05).
Discussion: HIV knowledge alone is not sufficient to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS infections. However, the ability to negotiate for safer sex is a critical factor in slowing the alarming increase in HIV/AIDS cases in Thailand. On the basis of these finding, it is strongly recommended that negotiation skill training must be included within the current limited sexuality curriculum and intervention programs for safer sex among Thai young adults.
Session #1223 - Graduate Student Poster Session
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)