Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015;27(5):618-28.
doi: 10.1080/09540121.2014.986046. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antiretroviral management, reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual risk behavior among perinatally HIV-infected youth in Thailand

Rangsima Lolekha  1 , Vitharon Boon-Yasidhi, Pimsiri Leowsrisook, Thananda Naiwatanakul, Yuitiang Durier, Wipada Nuchanard, Jariya Tarugsa, Warunee Punpanich, Sarika Pattanasin, Kulkanya Chokephaibulkit
Affiliations

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antiretroviral management, reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual risk behavior among perinatally HIV-infected youth in Thailand

Rangsima Lolekha et al. AIDS Care. 2015.

Abstract

More than 30% of perinatally HIV-infected children in Thailand are 12 years and older. As these youth become sexually active, there is a risk that they will transmit HIV to their partners. Data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of HIV-infected youth in Thailand are limited. Therefore, we assessed the KAP of perinatally HIV-infected youth and youth reporting sexual risk behaviors receiving care at two tertiary care hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand and living in an orphanage in Lopburi, Thailand. From October 2010 to July 2011, 197 HIV-infected youth completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview to assess their KAP regarding antiretroviral (ARV) management, reproductive health, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A majority of youth in this study correctly answered questions about HIV transmission and prevention and the importance of taking ARVs regularly. More than half of the youth in this study demonstrated a lack of family planning, reproductive health, and STI knowledge. Girls had more appropriate attitudes toward safe sex and risk behaviors than boys. Although only 5% of the youth reported that they had engaged in sexual intercourse, about a third reported sexual risk behaviors (e.g., having or kissing boy/girlfriend or consuming an alcoholic beverage). We found low condom use and other family planning practices, increasing the risk of HIV and/or STI transmission to sexual partners. Additional resources are needed to improve reproductive health knowledge and reduce risk behavior among HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

Keywords: ARV management; HIV-infected youth; Thailand; attitudes; knowledge; sexual risk behavior.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

References

    1. Boon-Yasidhi V, Chokephaibulkit K, McConnell MS, Vanprapar N, Leowsrisook P, Prasitsurbsai W, Chotpitayasunond T. Development of a diagnosis disclosure model for perinatally HIV-infected children in Thailand. AIDS Care. 2012;25:756–762. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2012.749331. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bureau of Epidemiology, Thailand Ministry of Public Health. Report of behavioral surveillance among grade 11, grade 8 and vocational students in Thailand 2011. 2011. in Thai.
    1. DiIorio C, Resnicow K, Thomas S, Wang DT, Dudley WN, Van Marter DF, Lipana J. Keepin’ it R.E.A.L.!: Program description and results of baseline assessment. Health Education Behavior. 2002;29(1):104–123. - PubMed
    1. Dolezal C, Marhefka SL, Santamaria EK, Leu CS, Brackis-Cott E, Mellins CA. A comparison of audio computer-assisted self-interviews to face-to-face interviews of sexual behavior among perinatally HIV-exposed youth. Archives Sexual Behavior. 2012;41:401–410. doi: 10.1007/s10508-011-9769-6. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dowshen N, Kuhns LM, Johnson A, Holoyda BJ, Garofalo R. Improving adherence to antiretroviral therapy for youth living with HIV/AIDS: A pilot study using personalized, interactive, daily text message reminders. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2012;14(2):e51. doi: 10.2196/jmir.2015. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Substances