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Health Sciences |
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School of Public HealthHealth and Social Care - Research ProjectComprising gerontology, health service coordination, rehabilitation studies, palliative care, and research methods. HIV and Sexual Health Needs within the Thai Ethnic Community in Victoria and New South WalesResearchers:Professor Pranee Liamputtong, in partnership with the National Centre for HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales (Professor Susan Kippax), Australian Research Centre in Health, Sex and Society (Professor Marion Pitts). Research Partners: University of New South Wales; ARCHS SummaryThis empirical research seeks to examine knowledge
and cultural understanding of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
infections (STIs) within the Thai ethnic community in Melbourne.
Sexual health issues such as HIV/AIDS in Australia became an issue
for health promotion in the mid-1980s. Although Australia has
been successful in containing the HIV epidemic and rates of HIV
transmission and AIDS incidences have declined since 1994, there
has been considerable concern that individuals from HIV high prevalence
countries including Thailand form a significant risk group among
heterosexuals with HIV. Although there have been very few publications
regarding HIV/AIDS among people from culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds (CALDs), little is known about the cultural
understanding of the infection, its transmission and at risk behaviours
within the Thai ethnic community. The numbers of Thai gay men
and international students have been increased in recent years,
particularly in New South Wales and Victoria. More importantly,
a large number of Thai female sex workers are working in Victoria
and New South Wales at present. Yet there is no systematic research
examining their understanding of HIV/AIDS and other STIs, their
sexual health needs, and culturally appropriate health seeking
patterns among these groups of the Thai community. This proposed
research attempts to fill this gap of knowledge within a multicultural
society like Australia.
This research offers the first empirical and comprehensive data regarding knowledge and cultural understanding of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) within the Thai community living in Melbourne and Sydney. Specifically, research questions are:
Status of the project: Current Research Outputs to date:Conference PresentationsPublicationsUnpublished ReportsContent Approved by: Head of School |