HIV Knowledge and Its Associated Sociodemographic Factors among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia

Background

Female sex workers (FSWs) have a high risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In spite of the alarming fact that a large proportion of FSWs does not have adequate HIV knowledge, the association between sociodemographic factors and HIV knowledge among FSWs have yet to be thoroughly explored in the context of Malaysia. The aims of this study are the following: i) to determine HIV knowledge and ii) to examine the associated factors of HIV knowledge.

Methods

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted. Data from the Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS) 2017 (n = 630) were used. The survey was carried out in all states in Malaysia and its duration was 4 months (from March 2017 to June 2017). Ordered probit regressions were utilised to shed light on the association between sociodemographic variables and levels of HIV knowledge.

Results

A large proportion of FSWs had middle-level HIV knowledge (44.1%). FSWs with tertiary-level education were 19.5% more likely to have high-level HIV knowledge compared to those without formal education. The probability of having low-level HIV knowledge was 6.8% lower among FSWs with monthly incomes of RM1,500-RM1,999 than those having incomes of ≤ RM499. Being single instead of married was associated with 7.6%-8% lower probabilities of having low- and middle-level HIV knowledge.

Conclusion

Public health interventions to improve FSWs' HIV knowledge need to take into consideration the role of sociodemographic factors.

Knowledge of HIV and AIDS among tertiary students in Bangladesh

To examine the levels and predictors of knowledge on HIV and AIDS, a survey was conducted among 392 tertiary level students in the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Students demonstrated a high knowledge of transmission and prevention of HIV and AIDS yet with considerable misconception. All students said that unprotected sex with an HIV-positive man or woman can transmit the HIV virus to a negative man or woman but at the same time 43.6% of students believed that there is a preventive vaccine for HIV and 39.8% understood that HIV can be cured if it is diagnosed early. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the students who had more knowledge on HIV and AIDS were: older boys, fathers having more income, business or service as father's occupation, having more mass media exposure, being senior students, living in a university dormitory, and being students of faculty of arts, social sciences, and science. The findings of this study suggest that a special course on health education, including risk perceptions of HIV and AIDS and issues related to sexual and other high risk behavior, should be included in the course curricula irrespective of disciplines at tertiary levels.