Prevalence of Anti-HIV Seropositivity in Myanmar Migrators in a Rural Area of Thailand

Wiwanitkit, Viroj; Waenlor, Weerachit

doi:10.1089/088282402320914610

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Nevertheless, this survey has led to a shift in the PMTCT programme within Mae La refugee camp in order to overcome this gap, to 'opt-out' of HIV testing, rather than to 'opt-in'. Migration, identified here as seeking work outside the camp, is a co-factor for HIV infection in south-east Asia 9,11 and was identified both by the PMTCT counsellors and by the women themselves. Working outside the camp is a new context from the traditional, controlled and protective environment of the refugee camp or a rural village in Burma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border

et al. 2008

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Refugee and migrant populations are considered to be at high risk from sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV. Cross-sectional surveys for syphilis and HIV were conducted in antenatal clinics (ANCs) on the Thai-Burmese border. In Mae La refugee camp, the seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis were 0.2% (one of 500) (95% CI 0-1.1) and 0% (0 of 404) (95% CI 0-0.9) in 1997; and 0.4% (two of 500) (95% CI 0.1-1.4) and 0.4% (three of 741) (95% CI 0.1-1.2) in 2005, respectively; syphilis seroprevalence in migrant women in 2005 was 0 (0 of 234) (95% CI 0-1.6). The seroprevalence was lower than that reported from surrounding ANCs for Thai or Burmese women. Focus group discussions with HIV-negative and -positive pregnant refugee women established that aspects of Karen culture and isolation (geographical and political) had a significant protective role from HIV and STI. This survey has resulted in programmatic changes in services to pregnant women in this area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border

et al. 2008

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“…Lin et al, 2005; Maxwell et al, 2006; Yang, Derlega, & Luo, 2007), and actual HIV infection (Wiwanitkit & Waenlor, 2002; Zehender et al, 2004; Zuma, Gouws, Williams, & Lurie, 2003). Integration into the society of destination is one of the strategies which may assist individual migrants in avoiding negative health consequences (Chen X et al, 2008 and 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Stigma, Social Capital Reconstruction, and Rural Migrants in Urban China: A Population Health Perspective

Chen¹,

Stanton²,

Kaljee³

et al. 2011

Human Organization

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In this study, we examine migrant stigma and its effect on social capital reconstruction among rural migrants who possess legal rural residence but live and work in urban China. After a review of the concepts of stigma and social capital, we report data collected through in-depth interviews with 40 rural migrant workers and 38 urban residents recruited from Beijing, China. Findings from this study indicate that social stigma against rural migrants is common in urban China and is reinforced through media, social institutions and their representatives, and day-to-day interactions.As an important part of discrimination, stigma against migrant workers creates inequality, undermines trust, and reduces opportunities for interpersonal interactions between migrants and urban residents. Through these social processes, social stigma interferes with the reconstruction of social capital (including bonding, bridging and linking social capital) for individual rural migrants as well as for their communities. The interaction between stigma and social capital reconstruction may present as a mechanism by which migration leads to negative health consequences. Results from this study underscore the need for taking measures against migrant stigma and alternatively work toward social capital reconstruction for health promotion and disease prevention among this population.

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“…Risky sexual behaviour and high prevalence of HIV [3.2% to 16.1%] has previously been documented among fishermen groups [ 5 - 9 ]. Often fishermen communities have higher prevalence of HIV compared to the general population [ 6 , 10 - 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A comprehensive review of fishermen communities by Alison and Seeley suggested that their vulnerability to HIV stems from complex, interacting causes that may include the time fishermen spend away from home, their high mobility, their access to daily cash income in an overall context of poverty, their background characteristics, the ready availability of commercial sex in fishing ports and risk taking behaviors [ 8 ]. Factors such as young age, unmarried status, multiple sex partners including commercial sex partners, duration of stay in the port areas, lack of condom use, and prevalence of sexual violence have been found to be associated with increased vulnerability of fishing communities to HIV infection [ 5 , 9 , 11 ]. Since some studies in fishing communities have reported high HIV prevalance in women [ 5 , 10 ], it is assumed that heterosexual transmission prevails as a source of infection in such communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection of boatmen in Teknaf, Bangladesh

Gazi,

Mercer,

Wansom

et al. 2008

Confl Health

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BackgroundMobile population groups are at high risk for contracting HIV infection. Many factors contribute to this risk including high prevalence of risky behavior and increased risk of violence due to conflict and war. The Naf River serves as the primary border crossing point between Teknaf, Bangladesh and Mynamar [Burma] for both official and unofficial travel of people and goods. Little is known about the risk behavior of boatmen who travel back and forth between Teknaf and Myanmar. However, we hypothesize that boatmen may act as a bridging population for HIV/AIDS between the high-prevalence country of Myanmar and the low-prevalence country of Bangladesh.MethodsMethods included initial rapport building with community members, mapping of boatmen communities, and in-depth qualitative interviews with key informants and members from other vulnerable groups such as spouses of boatmen, commercial female sex workers, and injecting drug users. Information from the first three stages was used to create a cross-sectional survey that was administered to 433 boatmen.ResultsOver 40% of the boatmen had visited Myanmar during the course of their work. 17% of these boatmen had sex with CSW while abroad. There was a significant correlation found between the number of nights spent in Myanmar and sex with commercial sex workers.In the past year, 19% of all boatmen surveyed had sex with another man. 14% of boatmen had participated in group sex, with groups ranging in size from three to fourteen people. Condom use was rare {0 to 4.7% during the last month}, irrespective of types of sex partners. Regression analysis showed that boatmen who were 25 years and older were statistically less likely to have sexual intercourse with non- marital female partners in the last year compared to the boatmen aged less than 25 years. Similarly deep-sea fishing boatmen and non-fishing boatmen were statistically less likely to have sexual intercourse with non- marital female partners in the last year compared to the day long fishing boatmen adjusting for all other variables. Boatmen's knowledge regarding HIV transmission and personal risk perception for contracting HIV was low.ConclusionBoatmen in Teknaf are an integral part of a high-risk sexual behaviour network between Myanmar and Bangladesh. They are at risk of obtaining HIV infection due to cross border mobility and unsafe sexual practices. There is an urgent need for designing interventions targeting boatmen in Teknaf to combat an impending epidemic of HIV among this group. They could be included in the serological surveillance as a vulnerable group. Interventions need to address issues on both sides of the border, other vulnerable groups, and refugees. Strong political will and cross border collaboration is mandatory for such interventions.

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Prevalence of Anti-HIV Seropositivity in Myanmar Migrators in a Rural Area of Thailand

Cited by 8 publications

References 5 publications

Low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border

Low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border

Social Stigma, Social Capital Reconstruction, and Rural Migrants in Urban China: A Population Health Perspective

An assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection of boatmen in Teknaf, Bangladesh

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