Intention to practice positive preventive behaviors of transmission and acquisition among teenagers with HIV in risk areas of Thailand

Abstract

This  study  aims  to  explore  the  intention  to  practice  positive  preventive  behaviors  of  HIV  transmission  and acquisition,  the  factors  that  have  an  influence  on  and  have  an  ability  to  predict  the  intention  to  practice  positive preventive behaviors of HIV transmission and acquisition among HIV positive teenagers in risk areas of Thailand. The sample included 237 HIV positive teenagers aged 13-19 years, both male and female, who attended ARV clinicsin the hospital. They were purposively selected by the inclusion criteria and following with random sampling from patient number list by queue in each day. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 1 May to  31  August,  2013.  Data  analysis  was  performed  by  using  descriptive  statistics  to  present  the  percentage,  mean, and  standard  deviation.  Chi-square  test  and  Multiple  Logistic  Regression  Analysis  were  used  to  identify  factors related  to  positive  preventive  behaviors. Study  results  show  that  19.0%  of  these  teenagers  had  previous  sexual  experience.  91.1%  of  those  who  had sexual  experiences  was  at  an  inappropriate  level.  For  those  who  never  had  sexual  experience,  50.0%  had  need  of improvement  levels  of  such  intention.  The  factors  that  were  significantly  associated  with  the  intention  to  practice positive preventive behaviors of HIV transmission and acquisition (p-value < 0.05) were sex, HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom knowledge, threat appraisal, coping appraisal, relationship with parents or care givers and peer influence. The factors that significantly predicted the intention to practice positive preventive behaviors of HIV transmission and  acquisition  among  HIV positive  teenagers (p-value  <  0.05)  were coping  appraisal  and  peer influence. Study  results  suggest  that  healthcare  services,  organizations   and  the  multidisciplinary  health  teams,  whoprovide counseling and work with HIV positive children and adolescents, as well as their families, should develop a  plan  together  to  organize  activities  on  HIV/AIDS  knowledge,  condom  knowledge,  positive  preventive  of  HIV transmission and acquisition and to enhance coping appraisal of HIV transmission and acquisition by let teenagers with  HIV or family  has participate  or peer group.