Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts WePeE6575-WePeE6579 227

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.
Presenting author: nhung le, 346 First Street #301, San Francisco, California,
94105, United States, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeE6575 Study on sexual behaviors among sex workers in
temple tourism town in Rameswaram in Tamilnadu
V. Daizy Rani, A. Vincent, B.U. Maheswaran. Association for Rural Development,
Association for Rural Development(ARD), 4/339, Thiruveni Nagar,
Nagamalaipudukkottai, Madurai-625 019, India
Background: Rameswaram is a temple town with high mobile population as it is
kown for its deity Gundalism &prostitution flourishes here. Mobile, lodge & house
based brothels operate predominantly Eunuchs too find thier way here. Association for Rural Development(ARD), a commuity based NGO was the only development agency to integrate HIV/AIDS action for this identified group as it directly
linked with the population for whom ARD served for.
Methods: A questainnaire was developed with 60 questions that should be filled
up after having as many interactions as possible with sex workers during 6
months. Information gathered during conduction of 1-1 & 1-group interaction, traiings, seminars, culturals, role plays etc.
Results: Out of 250 sex workers, 85% of them are not adopting condom use.
75% have heared of STD/HIV/AIDS. &0% give importance to sexual hygiene.
70% do not take quality & complete STD treatment. 50% of sex workers involve
in sex work with their husband's knowledge. 90% of sex workers have more than
5 sexual partners per day. 85% had repeated STD infections. 5% reported having
infected with HIV/AIDS.
Conclusion: The result shows the need & importance of concentrating on sew
workers in Temple Tourism Town in Rameswaram. Otherwise, needless to say if
we fail to take quick action to prevent & control STD/HIV/AIDS among this group,
these are all possibilities for the spread of HIV/AIDS to too many people at nationalism (may be) international level.
Presenting author: Daizy Rani Dolo vincy, Association for Rural Development(ARD), 4/339, Thiruveni Nagar, Nagamalaipudukkottai, Madurai-625 019,
India, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeE6576 An innovative successful story in providing
counselling service
A.E. Joseph. 1369, 18th Main Road, I block, 6th street, Vallalar Colony Anna
Nagar West, Chennai-600 040, India
Issue: In a perplex situation, STD/HIV/AIDS counseling services face a great
challenge in identifying community in need.
Description: Mammallapuram is a tourist village where on an average of one
hundred thousand tourists visit in a month. This situation where fully utilized by
the sex workers and clients at Mammallapuram by mixing themselves as a one
in large tourists crowd. We the ICWO technically and financially supported by
APAC,VHS-USAID. Adopted innovative strategy by forming up ten street committees who belong to various irrespective of class and creed, like petty shop
owners, sculpture shop owners & workers, Hotels, Restaurants, Liquor shops,
Barber Shop, Tea shop, Library, Sweet stalls, Lodge owners were members of
street committee, which make to the a total number of 70. All the street committee members under gone an intensive training in STD/HIV/AIDS prevention
programme and their role in prevention of STD/HIV/AIDS control.
Result: Based on our innovative strategy in identifying and providing counseling

services, our counselor able to provide 83 counseling to sex workers, 35 to the
tourist affiliated community in for the past three months (1 st September 2001 to
30th November 2001). However this strategy in results is fairly in a good result. It
is always incomplete because of high mobility of sex workers and their clients at
Mammallapuram. Were the follow-up counseling services were always in a big Q!
Since the sex workers and clients spend most of the time interacting with our
street committee members. It creates enabling environment to our street commit
tee members to able to identify there needs, motivate and refer to our drop-incounseling centre.
Presenting author: Antony Edwin Joseph, 1369, 18th Main Road, I block, 6th
street, Vallalar Colony, Anna Nagar West, Chennai-600 040, India, Tel.: +91 44
6262192, E-mail: fieldmaster2000 @ hotmail.com
WePeE6577 Prostitutes with drug addition and HIV/AIDS in
Vietnam
D. Nguyen van1, L. Vo Kong2, A. Phan Minh2, N. Pham Hoang3, H. Vu Minh4.
1Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, Ho Chi Minh National Political
Academy Cad Giay, Hanoi,; 2Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, Hanoi,
Vietnam; 3Hanoi AIDS Commitee, Hanoi, Vietnam; 4Ministry of Health, Hanoi,
Vietnam
Background: In recent years, prostitutes in Vietnam using drug are on the rise,
which makes anti-Aids operations more difficult and the rate of HIV/AIDS infected
prostitutes going up too.
Methods: Gathering and analyzing existing data. Group discussion: 5 groups of
prostitutes. Interviews of 250 prostitutes. Discussions of 4 groups and interviews
of 10 anti-Aids and anti-prostitution and drug addition activists in Hanoi and in the
provinces of Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh.
Results: 98% of peoples interviewed think that the number of prostitutes (both
grown-ups and children) using drug rises very fast in recent years. In 1998 few
prostitutes used drug. But a recently-made investigation among 25 prostitutes
shows that the number of drug-users makes up 74%. About 66.4% of prostitutes
transfer from inhaling drug to injection. Reason for the increase: earning lots of
money, being fond of leading a liberal life, being incited by bosses, lacking knowledge about aids. All make solutions difficult.
Conclusions: It is necessary for us to step up the work of education and consultation for prostitutes so that they may stay away from drug. Increasing the ratio of
using individual needles and syringes and using condoms in sexual intercourses.
Helping prostitutes to give up drug addition, giving them jobs so that they may
return to normal life in their integration into family and community.
Presenting author: Doan Nguyen van, Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy,
Cad Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
[email protected]
WePeE6578 Male sex work: Occupational health and safety
J.A. Connell. Medical Research Council, Medical Research Council, Social and
Public Health sciences unit, University of Glasgow, 4 Lilybank Gardens Glasgow
G 12 8RZ, United Kingdom
Background.: It is increasingly recognised that the exchange of sexual services
for money carries with it certain health costs.
This study seeks to investigate HIV risk in the context of health related occupational stresses and the general health status of men working in various sectors of
the sex industry in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland.
Methods.: The paper will employ qualitative data from non-participant observations and interviews conducted with 27 male sex workers between March 2000
and August 2001.
Results.: Analysis of observational and interview data highlights that contracting
HIV during sex work is one of a number of concerns to male sex workers. While a
minority of male sex workers professed to be HIV positive, the majority were unaware of their current HIV status, and either had never been tested for HIV, or did
not seek regular testing. This finding can be associated with the fact that many respondents failed to access and attend sexual health clinics and related services.
Many men saw risk to sexual health during sex work in terms of transmission of
HIV only, a finding which has implications for the spread and contraction of other
STIs.
Conclusion.: Participation in sex work has affected men in terms of their physical, sexual and mental health, factors partly attributed to personal safety during
sex work. HIV is just one of many stresses faced by male sex workers, and this
is exacerbated by the acute lack of social support and service provision for this
group. There is hence an argument for increased resources and an expansion of
existing services for male prostitutes in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Presenting author: Judith Connell, Medical Research Council, Social and Public
Health sciences unit, University of Glasgow, 4 Lilybank Gardens Glasgow G12
8RZ, United Kingdom, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
judith @ msoc.mrc.gla.ac.uk
WePeE6579 Factors related to sexual risk taking in gay
identified HIV negative internet based male
escorts in New York City
D.S. Bimbi1, J.P Parsons2, PN. Halkitis 3, J. Koken2. 1CUNY Graduate Center,

CHEST 250 W 26th St., Suite 300, NYC, NY, 10001, United States; 2Hunter
College, NYC, United States; 3New York University, NYC, United States
Background: Research on male sex workers has predominately focused street
workers and has often focused on differences in rates of unsafe sex with clients
and casual sex partners rather than on person factors that may lead to sexual risk
taking.