Sexual Risk Behaviors, HIV Prevalence and Access to Reproductive Health Services Among Young Women Migrant Workers in the Industrial Zones in Vietnam

Sexual and reproductive health service utilization and associated factors among youth workers at Kombolcha Industry Park, Kombolcha town, Northeast Ethiopia, 2023

Background

Youth is a decisive age that shapes the direction of their life and that of their family. However, due to the host of biological, social, and economic factors, youth Industry Park workers can be at high risk of adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Therefore, assessing youth sexual and reproductive health service utilization and associated factors among youth workers is very crucial for timely intervention to their gaps.

Objective

This study aimed to assess sexual and reproductive health service utilization and associated factors among youth workers working at Kombolcha Industry Park Kombolcha, Northeast Ethiopia, 2023.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Kombolcha Industry Park, Kombolcha, among a total of 422 youth workers from 1 January to 30 January 2023. A simple random sampling technique was used to access a total of 422 youth workers in Kombolcha Industry Park. The data were collected using pre-test, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and were exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Bi-variable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure the strength of the association. The level of statistical significance was declared at a p value of less than 0.05.

Results

Overall utilization of reproductive health services was 45.50%. Being married [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 5.76, 95% CI (2.94, 11.25)], near distance of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) facility to home [AOR = 2.57, 95% CI (1.60, 4.14)], having good knowledge [AOR = 9.23 95%CI (4.88, 17.44)], and good attitude about SRH [AOR = 2.06 95% CI (1.29, 3.28)] were significantly associated with youth SRHs utilization.

Conclusion

Youth sexual and reproductive health service utilization among youth workers of Kombolcha Industry Park was low. Ensuring SRHs availability and accessibility, empowering youth with knowledge of SRHs, and advocating sexual and reproductive health services to develop a good attitude might be important in improving reproductive health service utilization. Future researchers should address segments of the population other than Kombolcha Industry Park.

The mediation effects of sexual self-efficacy in the relationship between psychosocial wellbeing and depressive symptoms among female migrant workers in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common mental disorder that significantly contributes to the global burden of disease. Studies have consistently reported that migrant workers experience higher levels of depressive symptoms, especially women.

AIMS

This study aimed to examine the mediation role of sexual self-efficacy on the relationship between psychological wellbeing, and depressive symptoms among young female migrant workers in Vietnam's industrial zones.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1061 female migrant workers aged 18 to 29 from January to November 2020 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Anonymous interview questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic characteristics, psychosocial wellbeing (PWB), sexual self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms. Mediation analysis was conducted to explore the mediation effect of sexual self-efficacy on the relationship between PWB and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Nearly 8% of the female migrant workers reported experiencing depressive symptoms. The final mediation model showed that the effect of overall psychological wellbeing on depressive symptoms was partially mediated by sexual self-efficacy. Specifically, 4.1% of the effect of overall PWB on depressive symptoms was mediated through sexual self-efficacy. In the PWB subdimension analyses, sexual self-efficacy mediated 14.3% of the effect of personal growth, 8.8% of the effect of purpose in life, 8.0% of the effect of autonomy, and 7.8% of the effect of environmental mastery on depressive symptoms, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The study findings demonstrate that sexual self-efficacy plays an important role in the relationship between psychosocial wellbeing and depressive symptoms among female migrant workers in industrial zones in Vietnam. Improving psychosocial wellbeing and promoting sexual health including sexual self-efficacy should be prioritized when addressing depressive symptoms and mental health concerns among industrial zone female migrant workers in Vietnam, which may also be applicable in other low- and middle-income countries with similar socio-cultural settings.

Factors impacting HIV testing among young sexually active women migrant workers in Vietnamese industrial zones

BACKGROUND

Young migrant workers living in low- and middle-income countries often experience barriers and inadequate access to HIV prevention and treatment services. This study examines the prevalence of HIV testing, associated factors, and reasons for obtaining and not obtaining HIV testing among young sexually active women migrant workers in an industrial zone in Hanoi, Vietnam.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 512 sexually active young women migrant workers (aged 18 to 29) working in the Thang Long industrial zone in Hanoi, Vietnam. Data was collected via a face-to-face interview from January 2020 to June 2021. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with ever-testing for HIV among sexually active participants.

RESULTS

The study found a low level of HIV testing and high rates of unprotected sex. Among those who reported being sexually active, only 23.7% of participants (n = 126) reported having ever been tested for HIV. Among those who reported never having tested for HIV, 38.2% reported not using condoms during their most recent sexual encounter. Factors associated with engaging in HIV testing included being older (25-29 years), having greater knowledge about HIV, past use of sexual and reproductive health and HIV services, and familiarity with HIV testing locations.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, a low level of HIV testing, high rates of unprotected sex, and low perceived risks regarding HIV among the study participants point to a need to implement targeted HIV interventions that can improve both safe sex practices and perceptions of and knowledge about risky sexual behaviors. Such interventions should use insights from this study to address factors facilitating HIV testing among industrial zones' women migrant workers.

Psychological Factors and Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Multidimensional Model Based on the Chilean Population

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a global health problem, with sexual risk behaviors (SRB) being the main routes of spreading the virus. Evidence indicates that different psychological factors influence SRB (e.g., attitude towards condoms, sexual self-concept, sexual sensation seeking, knowledge of sexual risk behaviors, risk perception). This study proposes an explanatory model of sexual risk behaviors in young people and adults. The sample consisted of 992 young people and adults aged between 18 and 35 years. The model presented good levels of fit (X2 = 3311.433, df = 1471, CFI = 0.964, TLI = 0.959, RMSEA = 0.036), explaining 56% of the variance of sexual activity with multiple partners, 77% of the inadequate use of protective barriers, and 58.8% of sexual activity under the influence of alcohol or drugs from a set of psychological factors in self-report measures. The details of the results offer novel contextual evidence for the prioritization of prevention-oriented psychosocial interventions.

Stigmatizing Attitudes toward People Living with HIV among Young Women Migrant Workers in Vietnam

Despite intensive HIV education and prevention efforts in the past few years, stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLWH) remain a major barrier to HIV prevention and treatment efforts in Vietnam. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of stigmatizing attitudes regarding HIV and identify correlative factors that impact the perceptions of PLWH among a heretofore overlooked demographic in Vietnamese society: women who are migrant workers in designated industrial zones (IZs). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1061 women migrant workers aged 18 to 29 from January 2020 to November 2020 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Stigmatizing attitudes toward PLWH were measured using a four-item scale. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine the factors associated with stigmatizing attitudes. Our findings indicate both substantial levels of stigma persisting among this demographic group as well as the influence of important mitigating factors on the expression of HIV-related stigma. Over seventy-six percent (76.2%) of the participants reported having at least one of the four stigmatizing attitudes. Greater levels of stigmatizing attitudes toward PLWH were significantly associated with lower HIV knowledge, lower levels of education, and identifying as Kinh (the ethnic majority in Vietnam). Additionally, this study found that questions framing HIV infection through a familial lens were significantly associated with lower rates of stigmatizing responses. The high overall levels of stigmatizing attitudes toward PLWH among the study participants suggests that there is an urgent need for the development of culturally appropriate interventions and outreach education activities to reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward PLWH among women who are migrant workers working in the IZs in Vietnam. This study adds to both the existing literature and current efforts and policies around HIV in Vietnam by empirically suggesting that familial-based messaging may be a powerful potential narrative for interventions addressing HIV-related issues such as stigma.