BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC RISKS FOR FREQUENT VISITS TO COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS AMONG NORTHERN THAI MEN

Objective: The transmission of HIV-1 in Thailand has recently been att ributed to exposure to infected commercial sex workers (CSW). We sough t to identify risk factors for patterns of CSW visits among northern T hai men. Design: Retrospective recall of lifetime and recent CSW visit s and associated risk factors were obtained by interview. Setting: Two military bases in northern Thailand. Participants: We enrolled two co horts (n=2417) of young men, aged 19-23 years, who were conscripted in to the Royal Thai Army and Air Force from six provinces in northern Th ailand in May and November 1991. Main outcome measures: Frequency of s elf-reported lifetime and recent sex with CSW. Results: Multivariate r esults showed that lower socioeconomic status, early first intercourse and substance-use factors (alcohol, marijuana, other drugs, and smoki ng) associated with lifetime and recent sex with CSW. Sexual intercour se with other female partners, lower price paid at last CSW visit and frequency of condom use with CSW did not differentiate frequent from i nfrequent CSW visitors. Conclusions: Limits in the frequency of sex wi th CSW, improved condom practices and reduction of drinking prior to C SW visits would all appear to provide substantial protection from expo sure to HIV-1 in this setting.