TY - JOUR
T1 - Community-based voluntary counseling and testing services in rural communities of Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand
AU - Kawichai, Surinda
AU - Celentano, David D.
AU - Chariyalertsak, Suwat
AU - Visrutaratna, Surasing
AU - Short, Onsri
AU - Ruangyuttikarn, Cholticha
AU - Chariyalertsak, Chonlisa
AU - Genberg, Becky
AU - Beyrer, Chris
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgment This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (U10 MH66687), U.S. National Institutes of Health.
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - Between September, 2002 to May, 2003, we implemented community-based HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services in four rural areas of Chiang Mai Province. The services included providing HIV/AIDS education and free mobile VCT using rapid testing with same day results. Overall, 427 villagers came for VCT (testers) and consented to be interviewed. HIV prevalence among testers was 4.9%, range from 1.1 to 8.4% by area. 'It is free' and/or 'convenient' were the most frequently cited factors that motivated them to get tested (72%) from our mobile VCT. Rural residents came for VCT when logistical barriers were removed. HIV prevalence among testers in some areas was high. Without extending HIV prevention efforts to population segments with less access to health care, the HIV problem in Thailand may re-emerge. Convenient and low-cost VCT may prove crucial for containing this HIV epidemic.
AB - Between September, 2002 to May, 2003, we implemented community-based HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services in four rural areas of Chiang Mai Province. The services included providing HIV/AIDS education and free mobile VCT using rapid testing with same day results. Overall, 427 villagers came for VCT (testers) and consented to be interviewed. HIV prevalence among testers was 4.9%, range from 1.1 to 8.4% by area. 'It is free' and/or 'convenient' were the most frequently cited factors that motivated them to get tested (72%) from our mobile VCT. Rural residents came for VCT when logistical barriers were removed. HIV prevalence among testers in some areas was high. Without extending HIV prevention efforts to population segments with less access to health care, the HIV problem in Thailand may re-emerge. Convenient and low-cost VCT may prove crucial for containing this HIV epidemic.
KW - HIV
KW - Rural Thailand
KW - VCT
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U2 - 10.1007/s10461-007-9242-7
DO - 10.1007/s10461-007-9242-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 17503171
AN - SCOPUS:34548202737
VL - 11
SP - 770
EP - 777
JO - AIDS and Behavior
JF - AIDS and Behavior
SN - 1090-7165
IS - 5
ER -