Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence is relatively lower in Sri Lanka than in other Asian countries; however, the number of HIV-infected persons has rapidly increased in recent years. A baseline study on HIV, acquired immunodeficiency virus (AIDS), and sexually transmitted infections (STI) knowledge, attitude, and practice was conducted at two construction sites in Sri Lanka from January to February 2007 to design an effective intervention strategy for the construction workers. Among 611 respondents (mostly males, mean age 32.8 years), nearly two-thirds lived away from home. Knowledge was fairly good on AIDS prevention but poorer on STI than on HIV. Some misconceptions were also observed. A high percentage did not consider HIV/AIDS as their own personal issue, and over 50% respondents expressed discriminatory attitudes towards HIV positives. Condom access was limited due to social and cultural norms. Mobility was not significantly associated with practice of prevention of HIV and STI. 

A regional discussion on HIV transmission in intimate partner relationships was initiated by UNAIDS through a regional meeting on Women and HIV in Cambodia in July 2006. Subsequently, UNAIDS convened a satellite session at the 8th International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific at Colombo in August 2007, and some countries started to work on desk reviews. Following the recommendations of the Commission on AIDS in Asia (2008), the ASEAN Foundation, UNAIDS, UNIFEM and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together initiated the development of the evidence base on HIV transmission in intimate partner relationships in Asia through collaboration between researchers, regional networks of people living with HIV (the International Commission on Women and the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS) and the United Nations (UN). In July 2008 a regional coordination committee consisting of UN (United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNDP, UNIFEM, UNAIDS), networks of people living with HIV and the ASEAN Foundation was formed to oversee the process. UNAIDS, UNIFEM and UNDP provided technical and budget assistance to countries to carry out desk reviews and focus group discussions. A technical meeting in November 2008 that included the Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS (the Seven Sisters) provided space to review data trends and gaps from the country studies, refine the methodologies and develop a regional network for information exchange.

As the world witnesses a sharp increase in the number of women living with HIV, women leaders like those telling their stories in this publication need to be heard. Coming from different socio-economic and personal contexts in the Asia Pacific region, these women speak of the power dynamic in their relationship with men, weighted in favour of the latter. They speak of discrimination and violence that they endure, rendering them vulnerable to HIV – a lack of information about HIV, a lack of knowledge about a partner’s HIV status, an inability to negotiate sex or safe sex, because they fear violence. They speak about the stigma and discrimination they face and the burden of secrecy that weighs down on them (and women do face disproportionate discrimination when compared to men), unaffordable healthcare services and the burden of care-giving responsibilities. Emerging from the shock of testing HIV positive and the implications this has for their lives and relationships, transcending the trauma of stigma and discrimination - these women demonstrate remarkable courage in breaking the culture of silence enveloping their HIV status. They show intense resilience in picking up the pieces of their lives and deciding to LIVE, and in inspiring other HIV positive women with similar concerns, to LIVE.

This handbook covers the special needs of eight groups of prisoners, which have a particularly vulnerable status in prisons. They are: Prisoners with mental health care needs; Prisoners with disabilities; Ethnic and racial minorities and indigenous peoples; Foreign national prisoners; Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) prisoners; Older prisoners; Prisoners with terminal illness and Prisoners under sentence of death.

This report provides information compiled from three routine HIV and AIDS databases at the NDoH during the 3rd quarter of 2009. These three databases are (1) Routine HIV case reporting database (2) Routine monthly testing summary database (3) Routine monthly ART summary database.

Although HIV program evaluations focusing on mortality on ART provide important evidence on treatment effectiveness, they do not asses overall HIV program performance because they exclude patients who are eligible but not started on ART for whatever reason. The objective of this study was to measure mortality that occurs both pre-ART and during ART among HIV-positive children enrolled in two HIV-programs in Cambodia. HIV-positive children experienced a high mortality and loss-to-follow-up rates before starting ART. These program outcomes may be improved by a more timely ART initiation. Measuring overall in-program mortality as opposed to only mortality on ART is recommended in order to more accurately evaluate pediatric HIV-programs performance.

Despite an ongoing epidemic of HIV among Thai people who inject drugs (IDU), Thailand has failed to implement essential harm reduction programmes. In response, a drug user-led harm reduction centre opened in 2004 in an effort to expand reduction programming in Thailand.   We examined experiences with the Mitsampan Harm Reduction Centre (MSHRC) among IDU participating in the Mitsampan Community Research Project (Bangkok). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with MSHRC use. We also examined services used at and barriers to the MSHRC.

This study is the fourth round of IBBS conducted among 300 male Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in the Kathmandu Valley. The study was undertaken to measure the prevalence of HIV and syphilis, and associated risk behaviors among IDUs. Demographic, sexual behavior and injecting behavior data were collected through structured questionnaire while the prevalence of HIV and syphilis were selectively measured by testing blood sample.

This study is the fourth round of IBBS conducted among 300 male IDUs in the Pokhara Valley. The study was undertaken to measure the prevalence of HIV and syphilis, and associated risk behaviors among IDUs. Demographic, injecting behavior and sexual behavior data were collected through structured questionnaire while the prevalence of HIV and syphilis were measured by testing blood samples using Determine HIV 1/2 test to detect antibodies against HIV, Uni-Gold test as a second test and SD Bioline HIV 1/2 test as a tie-breaker test.

This report details the findings of the third round of the IBBS conducted among 300 male IDUs in the Western to Far-Western Terai of Nepal. The study was conducted with the primary objective of measuring HIV and syphilis prevalence among the study population and to assess their HIV/STI related risk behaviors including their sexual and drug use habits. It also aimed to assess their exposure to the HIV/AIDS/STI awareness and prevention programs targeted at IDUs in the Western to Far- Western Terai of Nepal.