Meghan Deyesu

CPGH 101

Reva Datar

Case Summary

HIV in Thailand

Thailand, located in Southeast Asia, contains a high volume of sex workers within their

society. The culture, which allows for the voluntary and involuntary presence of sex workers as a

method of employment has led to an increasing existence of sexually transmitted infections

(STIs). One extremely prevalent STI would be human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV) which

eventually develops into a new disease known as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Thousands of people around the world are living with HIV but the development into AIDS can

have deadly effects often resulting in the mortality of the infected individual. In Thailand

specifically, in 1991 about 21.6% of individuals involved in sex work had HIV. This means that

individuals are spreading this disease when clients would request condom-free sex. Therefore,

without intervention, the proportion of individuals living with HIV in Thailand would continue

to rise.

The government in Thailand, in an effort to reduce the number of individuals effected by

STIs implemented a 100 percent condom program which supported the idea of condom use

within every sexual encounter between a sex worker and a client. The effort was aimed at not

supporting the industry itself, but rather protecting those involved in this type of work. This

intervention would be considered evidence based as it had specific methods and for determining

whether or not the intervention was successful or not. Results from the intervention concluded

that the 100 percent condom program led to drastic decrease in the number of sex workers with
STIs. Stemming from this, it can be assumed that the intervention was successful, as the goal

was to reduce the presence of HIV and other STIs amongst the population (specifically within

the sex work community).

As any successful intervention must have, the one placed out of Thailand had multiple

different components that contribute to the success. Within this, it first began with a distribution

of supplies. By distributing condoms to individuals, it made it possible for sex workers to at least

have the supplies necessary to protect themselves against STIs in their specific environment.

This addresses the economic factors involved into preventing STIs as the owners of these

establishments do not have to purchase these supplies. The intervention also included some level

of government enforcement. In an effort to not support the sex work industry, it was made clear

that enforcement would in fact occur if these precautions to protect sex workers was not taken.

This does not address the fact that allowing these individuals to be forced into sex work is still

unethical; however, the idea of helping these individuals to at least maintain a healthy lifestyle

makes overall goal of eliminating illegal sex work slightly more attainable as there is some

control over the situation. Education is also an essential component of any intervention as this is

what allows for a goal to be sustainably achieved. The needs of the population involved

consistent health and prevention of STIs which could only be achieved if they individuals are

aware of the risks that is being taken in condom free commercial sex work.

The intervention does show statistical evidence for its success in reducing the number of

STIs present amongst the desired population. It did attempt to take into account the situation of

the individuals and aimed for sex workers advocating for themselves for the use of condoms with

clients who offer additional money for condom-free sex. A successful aspect of the intervention

proved that sex workers who supported the 100 percent condom use program advocated the same
ideals to colleagues in the same line of work. Despite the undeniable success of the intervention,

it limits itself to only the sex work population within Thailand. The sex work industry does exist

in voluntary and involuntary forms all across the world therefore an successful intervention such

as this one needs to be applied for a large scale model. Not to mention it would be more

beneficial to see the intervention aimed at reducing the amount of clients visiting these

establishments as this would overall reduce the need for the industry all together. However, this

would be a completely separate goal but it would eliminate multiple problems all at once with a

single very effective intervention. HIV is often considered a global epidemic, but it can be

eradicated with the introduction of multiple interventions all across the world.