HIV Awareness of Outgoing Female Migrant Workers of Bangladesh: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Female migrant workers face a growing scale of unsafe migration, which increases their risk of HIV. Despite this, increasing numbers of women are migrating from Bangladesh to other countries as contractual workers. The aim of the study is to establish a baseline for the socio-demographic status of female migrant workers and the extent of their HIV/AIDS awareness along with the factors that determine it, and to discuss the need for effective HIV awareness programmes. During June-July 2008 data were collected by a questionnaire from 123 participants by approaching a cross section of women at the airport who were ready to fly to take up an overseas job. A total of 87% had heard of HIV/AIDS. Participants who had completed an education level of year ≥8 were more likely to have been informed about HIV than others. The average score in correct identification of modes of HIV infection was 1.6 (out of 4) and for preventive measures 1.8 (out of 5). Television and health workers were the major sources of HIV related knowledge. HIV-knowledge among the potential female migrant workers seems to be poor. As growing numbers of female workers are moving overseas for work, government and other concerned agencies must take a pro-active role to raise their awareness of HIV/AIDS infection and of effective preventive measures.

HIV/AIDS awareness and attitude among factory workers in Shiraz, Iran

“…Similar to our result the majority of Bangalees workers were familiar with potential modes of acquiring HIV infection. Contrary to our study, only 46.3% of Bengalese workers found unprotected sex as a potential mode of HIV infection, while it was 95.7% among Iranian workers [18]. Hasan et al, 2013 [19] investigated the level of awareness on HIV/AIDS amongst the garment workers in Bangladesh.…”

Female garment workers' understandings of sexually transmitted infections in selected low to middle-income countries: A systematic review

“…Infections with STIs increase the chance of spreading HIV. Effective treatment of STIs is one of the proven methods of preventing HIV (Hossain, Mani, Sidik, Shahar, & Islam, 2014;M. M. Islam, Conigrave, Miah, & Kalam, 2010;Jonathan Mann, Daniel J. M. Tarantola, & Netter., 1993;Mondal, Hossain, & Rahman, 2008;Nusbaum, Wallace, Slatt, & Kondrad, 2004).…”

HIV/AIDS and Muslims in South Africa: The ‘ Untouchable ’ Disease

“…Ahmed (2013) refers to the first known case of HIV in Bangladesh in 1989 and points out that since then, the number has continued to steadily increase. Islam et al (2010) point out that the Bangladeshi government responded by creating the National AIDS/STD Programme in the late 1980s which aimed to address a wide range of pressing concerns; namely testing, care, blood safety, sexually transmitted infections, prevention amongst women and migrant populations. Ahmed (2013) however, argues that there is still limited access to counselling and testing and this impacts on the ability to obtain accurate prevalence rates.…”