SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND HIV-1 INFECTION AMONG FEMALE COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS IN THAILAND

To identify socio-economic and demographic factors related to prevalen t HIV-1 infection among female commercial sex workers (CSW) in Thailan d oral interviews and blood samples were taken from 800 female commerc ial sex workers in northern and southern Thailand during a cross-secti onal survey in 1992. The overall HIV-1 prevalence rate was 22% and sho wed a statistically significant decrease from 36% when the age at star t of commercial sex work was between 12 and 15 years old to 11% when t he age at start was 21 years or over. Working in direct service, worki ng in the north, not being Thai, lower education, having no children a nd having a debt to the employer were all related to an elevated risk for HIV-1 infection in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis y ounger age at start of commercial sex work, working in direct service, working in the north and having a debt to the employer were independe ntly associated with prevalent HIV-1 infection. Prevention activities are urgently needed to prevent younger girls from entering sexual serv ice business and to protect them from HIV 1 infection once they start working in the commercial sex service.