WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - A survey of migrant workers living along
the Thai/Myanmar (formerly Burma) border reveals major
differences
between that group and the much better publicized
and better serviced refugee population
that is officially
recognized in border camps, according to Johns Hopkins University's
Dr. Luke Mullany.
About 1.2 million Burmese migrants live just inside the Thai border,
the vast majority
of whom fled the oppressive military regime
that is based in Rangoon, Mullany told a conference here on
reproductive health of refugees and displaced populations. However,
because the Thai government recognizes these people as illegal
economic migrants rather than refugees, they are not entitled to any
social services, he said.
As a result, virtually zero access has been extended to
(international relief workers) trying to document health status or
education in migrant worker factories,
Mullany stated.
In the survey, 233 men and 492 women were asked a variety of questions
concerning prevention and transmission of the AIDS (news - web sites)
virus. The responses showed significant
gender differences,
with men consistently
scoring higher than women in terms of
basic knowledge about the disease, according to Mullany.
With regard to prevention, only 15% of women said they had ever seen a condom, and less than half of the women understood that birth control pills do not prevent infection. Fewer than 2% of the women reported using a condom at least once, as compared with nearly 13% of the men.
The survey also exposed serious gaps in the workers' awareness of HIV that could put them at greater risk of infection. For example, 82% could identify the major risk factors for contracting HIV, but only 27% knew that they could learn their own HIV status with a blood test.
Mullany called the refugee-run survey an important first step in
drawing attention to the plight of migrant workers, not only within
the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but to their lack of
(healthcare) services overall.
Another survey, by the refugee-run Reproductive Health Group in Guinea, found similar misconceptions and cultural limitations among 976 men and women living in camps in Guinea's Forest Region.
While roughly 90% knew of HIV and AIDS and that avoiding multiple sexual partners and shared needles helped to prevent transmission, 54% believed that mosquitoes can spread the virus. A lesser--but still significant--number thought they could get HIV by touching (26%) or sharing food (30%) with people who are HIV-positive, according to Meriwether Beatty of the JSI Research and Training Institute. Twenty-two percent of interviewees said that eating good food will protect against HIV/AIDS.
All of the Guinean refugees had access to free healthcare within the refugee camps, about three fourths of those who reported having had sexually transmitted disease symptoms sought help at one of the health facilities.
However, 82% also said they went to private pharmacies to purchase STD
medications, pointing out the lack of necessary drugs
at the
camp-based clinics, Beatty said.
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