MULTIPLE SEXUAL PARTNERS AND CONDOM USE AMONG LONG-DISTANCE TRUCK DRIVERS IN THAILAND

Sexual behaviors of long-distance truck drivers in Thailand were inves tigated to define patterns and determinants critical to the transmissi on of HIV. This article reports on commercial, spousal, and other sexu al partners and on condom use among 327 drivers interviewed in 1992, F orty-eight percent reported a commercial sex worker (CSW) as their fir st partner and 87% had contact with a CSW at some time. Median lifetim e number of all partners was 29. In the 6 months prior to interview, 3 5% had two or more partners. Among the currently married, 23% had CSW contact within the past 6 months; 13% had contact with a nonmarital, n oncommercial partner; and about 8% reported marital as well as both CS W and noncommercial relationships in the same time period. Over half t he unmarried reported sexual relations in the 6 months; 25% reported c ontacts with both CSW and noncommercial partners. About 40% of subject s visiting CSWs used condoms inconsistently or not at all, Drivers wer e knowledgeable about AIDS and prevention measures, with some importan t misconceptions, but self-assessment of risk of HIV showed a negligib le sense of their personal vulnerability.