Online Campaign To Cut HIV/Aids Among Gay Men

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ONLINE EDUTAINMENT

Online campaign to cut HIV/Aids among gay men

By The Nation

In a bid to prevent HIV/Aids among homosexual men, the Thai Red Cross Society Aids research centre, the Disease Control Department, and other groups have joined forces to launch Asean's first online "edutainment" health campaign for homosexual men at www.adamslove.org.

Centre director Praphan Phanuphak told a press conference on Tuesday that, out of some 500,000-600,000 people living with HIV/Aids in Thailand, about 100,000 were homosexual males. In Bangkok alone, about three in 10 homosexual men - or 29.1 per cent - were HIV/Aids patients. In the smaller cities about 10 per cent of homosexual men were living with HIV/Aids.

He said the high prevalence was because there was no clear system of HIV-screening, citing that an anonymous clinic conducted HIV tests on about 50 people a day and found about 10 to be HIV-positive - 8-9 of whom were homosexual men.

Praphan said the groups had launched this campaign to let gay men to chat, access useful information and feel encouraged to get HIV-screening tests about 2-3 times a year. This would help reduce the number of Aids patients because doctors could prescribe them with anti-viral medicines in time, cutting the transmission rate to others by 90 per cent.

-- The Nation 2011-09-08

[endure]

"In a bid to prevent HIV/Aids among homosexual men, the Thai Red Cross Society Aids research centre, the Disease Control Department, and other groups have joined forces to launch Asean's first online "edutainment" health campaign for homosexual men at www.adamslove.org.

Centre director Praphan Phanuphak told a press conference on Tuesday that, out of some 500,000-600,000 people living with HIV/Aids in Thailand, about 100,000 were homosexual males. In Bangkok alone, about three in 10 homosexual men - or 29.1 per cent - were HIV/Aids patients. In the smaller cities about 10 per cent of homosexual men were living with HIV/Aids."

So the percentage of homosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 10 and 30 per cent. That means that the percentage of heterosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 90 and 70 percent. When is Praphan Phanuphak going to launch an online edutainment for them?

[Suradit]

"In a bid to prevent HIV/Aids among homosexual men, the Thai Red Cross Society Aids research centre, the Disease Control Department, and other groups have joined forces to launch Asean's first online "edutainment" health campaign for homosexual men at www.adamslove.org.

Centre director Praphan Phanuphak told a press conference on Tuesday that, out of some 500,000-600,000 people living with HIV/Aids in Thailand, about 100,000 were homosexual males. In Bangkok alone, about three in 10 homosexual men - or 29.1 per cent - were HIV/Aids patients. In the smaller cities about 10 per cent of homosexual men were living with HIV/Aids."

So the percentage of homosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 10 and 30 per cent. That means that the percentage of heterosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 90 and 70 percent. When is Praphan Phanuphak going to launch an online edutainment for them?

That's (supposedly) 10 to 30% of homosexual men. The remaining 90 to 70 % of homosexual men wouldn't be heterosexual men.

However if 100,000 of the 500,000 - 600,000 people (and people does include women) living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand, then roughly 16 to 20% of those are homosexual men.

[Jingthing]

These statistic are horrible! Thailand has an international reputation as having a government that has been progressive and responsive to this disease. I think that rep is no longer deserved based on these stats. Here is a chance for the Thaksinista government to step up and differentiate themselves.

[Ijustwannateach]

It may well be true that the gay male population is disproportionately affected by HIV, and even that the effect is stronger in Bangkok. But these numbers are baloney.

Estimated population of Thailand is 70 million people, right? Let's say 70 million, and let's take the high end of the estimated HIV population: 600,000. He says that 100,000 of them are gay males. However, in Thailand, assuming the highest kinds of statistical estimates, there should be 10% gay males- so if half of the population roughly is male, that's 35,000,000. 10% of that being gay males is 3,500,000. 100,000 HIV+/3,500,000 gay males is 1/35 HIV positive for all gay males in the nation, a vastly lower ratio than his alarmist statement implies.

I would also have to say- although of course one doesn't know only from sight, etc.- that if the proportions were 10% in Bangkok, and mostly unmedicated as the article's 'expert' says, the hospitals would be full of pneumonia patients and gay men would notice the apparent plague.

I have no doubt that there are problems- another thread I posted some time ago discussed the issues of an apparent current lack of understanding of the risks especially among younger gay Thai men- and the infected population is undoubtedly growing. But alarmism and shaky statistics of this type are irresponsible.

[hungryhippo]

So the percentage of homosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 10 and 30 per cent. That means that the percentage of heterosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 90 and 70 percent. When is Praphan Phanuphak going to launch an online edutainment for them?

You're forgetting bisexuals, pansexuals and whatever-else-sexuals.

But alarmism and shaky statistics of this type are irresponsible.

I disagree, I don't have the citations on me but I believe sexual disease is either the number one or two killer in Thailand. Any government sponsorship to educate people is a good cause regardless (I'm sure you agree) .

Edited September 8, 2011 by hungryhippo

[Jingthing]

Yeah, hundreds of thousands of people in Thailand are picking up a fatal (though treatable) disease that CAN rather easily be prevented with education and medical/government programs. No need to be alarmed! What's for lunch?

[pacovl46]

So the percentage of homosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 10 and 30 per cent. That means that the percentage of heterosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 90 and 70 percent. When is Praphan Phanuphak going to launch an online edutainment for them?

You're forgetting bisexuals, pansexuals and whatever-else-sexuals.

But alarmism and shaky statistics of this type are irresponsible.

I disagree, I don't have the citations on me but I believe sexual disease is either the number one or two killer in Thailand. Any government sponsorship to educate people is a good cause regardless (I'm sure you agree) .

the number one killer is obesity followed by smoking.

[Jingthing]

So the percentage of homosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 10 and 30 per cent. That means that the percentage of heterosexual men who are living with HIV/AIDS ranges between 90 and 70 percent. When is Praphan Phanuphak going to launch an online edutainment for them?

You're forgetting bisexuals, pansexuals and whatever-else-sexuals.

But alarmism and shaky statistics of this type are irresponsible.

I disagree, I don't have the citations on me but I believe sexual disease is either the number one or two killer in Thailand. Any government sponsorship to educate people is a good cause regardless (I'm sure you agree) .

the number one killer is obesity followed by smoking.

How about the number one killer of young GAY Thai men? I don't know but I reckon HIV and traffic accidents would rate highest. Edited September 8, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

My understanding is that posting HIV virus denial info is against forum rules.

[Ijustwannateach]

HIV denial myths are indeed against forum policy (more so in the health forum, but the issue is so serious I am more than happy to enforce the rules set up by our resident expert here as well).

Even more drastically against the rules is bullshit posted to attack gays, even gay tourists (for whom I have little fondness personally myself).

A number of posts (and related replies) have been deleted and a warning with a fairly severe penalty applied.

[tombkk]

Yeah, hundreds of thousands of people in Thailand are picking up a fatal (though treatable) disease that CAN rather easily be prevented with education and medical/government programs. No need to be alarmed! What's for lunch?

Percactly. Except that there are such government and NGO programs in place, which I support.

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm not saying that more government attention isn't needed- exactly the opposite, if you look at my history of posts on the subject. I am saying it is irresponsible and alarmist to EXAGGERATE the levels of infection (has anyone else checked my point about the numbers?) and thereby encourage idiots such as the writer of a few deleted posts above to make bigoted claims.

[Paagai]

HIV denial myths are indeed against forum policy (more so in the health forum, but the issue is so serious I am more than happy to enforce the rules set up by our resident expert here as well).

Even more drastically against the rules is bullshit posted to attack gays, even gay tourists (for whom I have little fondness personally myself).

A number of posts (and related replies) have been deleted and a warning with a fairly severe penalty applied.

Whatever we could argue about statistics and infection rates the Red Cross Adam's Love initiative is clearly something beneficial and praiseworthy.

Edited September 8, 2011 by Paagai

[Ijustwannateach]

^Of course. It is also a great tragedy that the formerly highly successful government programs were dumped when they started to be successful- because, of course, the problem was 'solved' (and the donated money ran out). I would also point to the rabid efforts of the blue-rinse set to return Thailand to the Victorian Era as a big part of the problem.

[Sheryl]

As a public health specialist, may I interject to clarify that it is not possible to give a percentage of the gay population which has HIV because the denominator (# of men who are gay) is unknown.

What one can do is give the percentage of gay men tested in the government's HIV surveillance who were positive, but as these are specific high risk gays it cannot be assumed they are representative of the general gay population, and there is no feasible way to measure HIV prevalence in the latter.

That said, gay populations have been given too little attention in HIV prevention efforts in SE Asia to date.

[tombkk]

^Of course. It is also a great tragedy that the formerly highly successful government programs were dumped when they started to be successful- because, of course, the problem was 'solved' (and the donated money ran out).

I don't know about the central government, but something I've heard about Pattaya City's government: Apparently, they give kits to mamasans containing lube and condoms. These are to be distributed to the boys only, forbidden to sell. Not that there are any mamasans, neither are there boys who would go with farangs, Thais, Japanese and another customers, but that system still seems to be in place and has not been dumped. If true, it's laudable. I have not heard about any such programme in Bangkok, but haven't made a survey either. It's all second-hand information.

[tombkk]

As a public health specialist, may I interject to clarify that it is not possible to give a percentage of the gay population which has HIV because the denominator (# of men who are gay) is unknown.

What one can do is give the percentage of gay men tested in the government's HIV surveillance who were positive, but as these are specific high risk gays it cannot be assumed they are representative of the general gay population, and there is no feasible way to measure HIV prevalence in the latter.

Thank you for putting this straight (no pun intended). I was always wondering were these figures come from. Of course, if x% of all gays tested are positive and the publisher forgets to print the word "tested", all looks a bit different. I think I am not alone in appreciating your professional input.

[KKK]

Online campaign to cut HIV/Aids among gay men

So thats OnLine sex covered which presumably will be 'safe' from now on. What about OffLine????????

[LeCharivari]

^Of course. It is also a great tragedy that the formerly highly successful government programs were dumped when they started to be successful- because, of course, the problem was 'solved' (and the donated money ran out).

I don't know about the central government, but something I've heard about Pattaya City's government: Apparently, they give kits to mamasans containing lube and condoms. These are to be distributed to the boys only, forbidden to sell. Not that there are any mamasans, neither are there boys who would go with farangs, Thais, Japanese and another customers, but that system still seems to be in place and has not been dumped. If true, it's laudable. I have not heard about any such programme in Bangkok, but haven't made a survey either. It's all second-hand information.

None of these programs are government or local government funded or organised, Tom. They are organised by a number of organisations such as Swing, Empower and Issarachon and they operate in Bangkok as well as Pattaya and help all sex workers (male and female).

[Ijustwannateach]

^It is an ironic truth that because of the former foreign outreach and the continuing involvement of a skeletal NGO presence (the Red Cross deserves a mention), as well as the local groups which LCV mentions above, that the sex worker population is perhaps the most well-educated about HIV and other STD risks in the country (and deservedly so, they are most at risk).

Tom, your observation also goes along these lines. It is really only common sense for the sex worker industry to get its own house in order before it becomes a scapegoat for the spread of the disease, when of course it is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the social vectors involved.

Thanks to Sheryl for pointing out that, as usual, the tested population are very much not representative of gay men generally (quite often these research schemes are run in red light areas, outside saunas, etc.). It is a shame that the government never seems to make that distinction in its announcements.

It was a private bet of mine with Peaceblondie, when I ran a survey before, that those who dated English-speaking Thais would discover that their partners largely knew about HIV risks much more so than those who dated the general Thai population, because of their associations with foreigners who had been more exposed to the information and had insisted on the right precautions in their relationships. Or, more cynically, possibly that the foreigners were also more likely to be involved with people in the more aware sex worker population than with the general population.

[isanbirder]

The gay sex trade in Chiangmai, where I was living at the time, was heavily targeted with safe sex propaganda in the early 90s... too late, sadly, for many of the boys involved. But it would be safe to say that not one of the barboys was unaware of safe sex (except those very few who were functionally illiterate... there were some).

[tombkk]

^Of course. It is also a great tragedy that the formerly highly successful government programs were dumped when they started to be successful- because, of course, the problem was 'solved' (and the donated money ran out).

I don't know about the central government, but something I've heard about Pattaya City's government: Apparently, they give kits to mamasans containing lube and condoms. These are to be distributed to the boys only, forbidden to sell. Not that there are any mamasans, neither are there boys who would go with farangs, Thais, Japanese and another customers, but that system still seems to be in place and has not been dumped. If true, it's laudable. I have not heard about any such programme in Bangkok, but haven't made a survey either. It's all second-hand information.

None of these programs are government or local government funded or organised, Tom. They are organised by a number of organisations such as Swing, Empower and Issarachon and they operate in Bangkok as well as Pattaya and help all sex workers (male and female).

Wow, I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Guest]

Adams Love is one of the best websites I've seen for a long time, for excellent content, look, and ease of use.

[LeCharivari]

... I don't have the citations on me but I believe sexual disease is either the number one or two killer in Thailand. Any government sponsorship to educate people is a good cause regardless (I'm sure you agree) .

the number one killer is obesity followed by smoking.

Not sure where you go that from, but according to the UN and the WHO the highest cause of death in Thailand is HIV/Aids at 14%. Heart disease is second (7%) and lung cancer 10th (2%), with road traffic accidents fifth at 5%.