AIDS Education and Intervention Trials among Youths in Factories: A Pilot Project
CHUANCHOM SAKONDHA VAT, M.D.*, SUGREE SOONTHARAPA, M.D.*, PATTAMAVADEE PINITSOONTORN, B.Sc.* WEERASIT SITTITRAI, Ph.D.**, YUTHAPONG WERA W ATANAKUL, M.D.*,
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, ** Thai Red Cross Society, Program on AIDS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Abstract The project aimed to conduct a pilot study and intervention trials among youths in a factory of Khan Kaen. After contacting and obtaining agreement from owners/managers of factories, a survey using a self administered questionnaire, in-depth interview and focus group with workers to determine their level of knowledge and awareness of AIDS and high risk behaviour. A series of in-depth interviews with 16 workers and group discussion with 8 groups were conducted to find out their possible motivation for prevention and their acceptance of inter- ventions/media. The data was used as a baseline for evaluating change after interventions and to modify the intervention education strategies and content. The study showed that the groups of factory workers which were not involved in the AIDS prevention had a different level of knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to AIDS prevention than the groups which received the intervention and the methods used in the intervention achieved a level of success. The information we collected also showed that the best kinds of media for this purpose were videos and informational cartoons, which were also of special interest to the study group. It is hoped that the models will be adopted by relevant government and non-government agencies to be used in factories throughout thi country.
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