HIV risk behaviours and situations as perceived by Thai adolescent daughters and their mothers in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The proportion of Thai women infected with HIV is rising. More than 60% of the estimated 70,000 young adults from ages 15 to 24 years who are infected with HIV are females. Furthermore, the ratio of adolescent females aged 15 to 19 years who are infected with HIV is twice that of adolescent males in the same age group (Thai Ministry of Public Health, 2005). A cross-sectional descriptive study identified the specific behaviours and situations placing Thai adolescent females at risk from HIV as perceived by Thai adolescent females aged between 12 and 14 years from public middle schools in Bangkok, Thailand and their mothers. Data were obtained from a demographic questionnaire and four different focus groups (n=40); two focus groups with Thai adolescents (n=20) and two focus groups with their mothers (n=20). Content analysis suggested that the behaviours considered most likely to result in HIV infection of Thai adolescent females were having sex without protection and drug use, and the most likely situations placing them at HIV risk were pubs/bars and boyfriends’ or friends’ houses when there is no parental or adult supervision. The mothers and daughters reported that HIV/AIDS-prevention programmes should provide education about the causes and dangers of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS and prevention strategies. These data laid the foundation for the development of a culturally relevant HIV risk-reduction programme for Thai adolescent females.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a postdoctoral trainee grant NIH/NINR Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved Populations (Grant #NR07964) and the Minority International Research Training Program (NIH Fogarty International Center Grant # TW00057). Co-ordination and research assistance was provided by the Institute of Health Research, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. We would like to thank Navapoch Yongsawai and Danucha Brikshavana for their insightful comments and suggestions. We also would like to thank Dr. Eileen Fitzsimons, who assisted with editing and suggestions throughout this paper.