Document 1866
 DOCN  M94A1866
 TI    Reducing HIV risk among couples: a study from northern Thai villages.
 DT    9412
 AU    Dumronggittigule P; Wakeman E; Luke C; Lindan C; Arthamet R; Taywaditep
       K; Mandel J; Payap University-Faculty of Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):433 (abstract no. PD0341). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370709
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how Thai cultural and marital norms regarding
       sexuality may affect risk behavior and AIDS prevention efforts. METHODS:
       139 women and 119 married men from 4 villages near Chiang Mai that
       requested AIDS prevention programs completed a self-administered
       anonymous questionnaire in 1993. RESULTS: Both men and women were
       knowledgeable about HIV risk behaviors and transmission from husband to
       wife; up to 66% believed that men in their villages commonly visit
       prostitutes. Both men and women, (67%) believed that if a husbands
       becomes HIV infected, that he would not likely discuss it with his wife.
       Most men felt that husbands visited prostitutes because wives did not
       meet their sexual needs and did not take adequate care of their
       husbands; they proposed improved sexual relationships and wives telling
       their husbands not to see prostitutes as means to reduce men seeing
       prostitutes. Women felt they couldn't satisfy this expectation because
       of responsibility both for the household and working outside the home.
       There were significant differences in expectations of sexual initiation
       in marriage. More men (74%) than women (53%, p = .01) liked the wife to
       initiate sex; however only 38% of both men and women felt it was
       acceptable to do so. Even though men indicated dissatisfaction with sex
       in marriage, out of 6 categories, both men and women reported that sex
       was the least important factor for them in being together as a couple.
       CONCLUSIONS: HIV preventions that target couples should address the
       often contradictory norms, values, and expectations of sex in marriage.
       Both men and women should be aware how cultural norms support female
       passivity. If men further share home responsibilities, sexual
       relationships might improve and allow women to be more sexually
       assertive in marriage.
 DE    Female  *Health Education  Human  HIV Infections/*PREVENTION &
       CONTROL/TRANSMISSION  Male  *Marriage  Prostitution  Risk Factors  *Sex
       Behavior  Thailand  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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