Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevalence in Brothel- Based Commercial Sex Workers in Chiang Mai, Thailand : Impact of the Condom Use Campaign
SUNGWAL RUGPAO,M.D.,M.Sc.*, SUPATRA SIRICHOTIYAKUL, M.D.*, WONPEN PRASERTWITAYAKIJ, R.N.**, KANLAYA WONGWORAPAT, B.Sc.**, CHAWALIT NATPRATAN, M.D.,MPH.***, CHANANE WANAPIRAK, M.D.*, YUPADEE YUTABOOTR, R.N.**, SIRIPORN SUWANKITI, R.N.**, SODSAI TOVANABUTRA, Ph.D.**, JOSEPH SABA, M.D.****
Affiliation : *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, **Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University, ***Department of Communicable Disease Control, Region 10, Ministry of Public Health, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand. ****Global Programme on AIDS, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. This manuscript was presented at the Third International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific & Fifth National AIDS Seminar in Thailand, Chiang Mai, 17-21 September 1995.
One hundred and ninety five (195) brothel-based commercial sex workers (CSW) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, were screened for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) between October 1994 and April 1995, prior to their enrollment in a multi-center comparative trial of the effective- ness of two strategies using male and female condoms. These CSW had a mean age of 22.2 (SD 4.3) years. Forty-seven per cent were Thai and 57.4 per cent had no formal education. Median duration of prostitution was 16 months and median cost for sexual service was 50 baht (US$ 2) per client. Ninety-four per cent of CSW reported always using condoms with clients. There were 63 (32.3%) CSW infected with at least one type of the STD screened. The prevalence of STD included chlamydia! infection (16.9%), gonococcal infection (14.4%), condyloma accuminata ( 4.6% ), moluscum contagiosum (2.6%) and trichomoniasis ( 1.0% ). There was no statistically significant risk factor for STD found in this study. Despite an active programme for prevention of STD in CSW and the provision of free condoms, STD were diagnosed in one-third of the screened CSW in Chiang Mai. The programme needs to be strengthened by more intensive educa- tion and practice in the correct and consistent use of condoms and integrated with other STD prevention programmes.
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