Situational Analysis of HIV Infection Screening Among Men Who Have Sex with Men, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Screening of disease is to find the disease in the initial stages. This allows patients to be treated in a timely manner, prevent the spread of the disease to others, and reduce mortality rate of the disease. This study was to analyze the situation of screening for HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Chiang Mai Province by using the concept to analyze the factors that affect the health behaviors of Green and Kreuter (1999) including: 1) predisposing factors, 2) enabling factors, and 3) reinforcing factors. Data were collected by using qualitative method from December 2013 to February 2014.  The 16 samples were recruited in this study. Structure questionnaires were used as a tool; it is consisted of two parts: the first part was a general information that descriptive analysis was applied, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation for etc. The second part was individual interview, this part a data were analyzed by classifying and summarizing key points.  The study results found that: 1) Predisposing factors: it is found that the study samples gained knowledge about AIDS and screening for HIV infection from electronic publications and from school education such as cause of disease, contact of disease, however, more knowledge about AIDS and screening specifically for men who have sex with men (MSM) were still needed. 2) Enabling factors: it is found that big hospitals have appropriate materials, equipment, facilities and are easy to be accessed yet there was not enough parking area.  On the other hand, some hospitals did not have enough medical devices, lack of privacy and did not provide information specifically about screening place, as well as service was provided only during office hours. The cost of screening was approximately 500-600 baht which was affordable for people with a moderate income, yet it is too expensive for people with low income.  Pre and post counseling was provided during the screening procedures in some hospitals only, and it was a long waiting time for the test results. 3) Reinforcing factors: it is found that there were some reinforcement from three groups including friends, family and health personnel. From the study results, nursing services for screening HIV infection among MSM should be developed as follows: 1) increase access to MSM group, in order to provide them enough knowledge about AIDS and screening for HIV infection, 2) develop a system to facilitate the access to screening services among MSM which cover through every channels special for MSM group, provide pre and post counseling, provide screening services on weekends and beyond office hours 3) promote friends and family to motivate MSM to access screening. The health personnel need practice regarding keeping rigorous confidentiality and have a good relationship with a group of the MSM which will contribute to increase in the rates of screening for HIV infection among MSM.