Publications on Key Populations

Just over 1,500 new cases of HIV/AIDS, most involving sexual transmission, have been reported since January 1984. Surveillance data indicates that prevalence rates are low even among the most vulnerable groups. Awareness of ways to prevent HIV transmission remains high, but has not been translated to behavior change.

HIV was first detected in Cambodia during serological screening of donated blood in 1991. The first cases of AIDS were diagnosed in late 1993 and early 1994. Between 1995-1998, surveillance data from the National AIDS Program (NAP), showed a significant spread of HIV in several key populations.

Vietnam is still considered to have a concentrated HIV/AIDS epidemic, with almost two-thirds of reported HIV infections occurring to intravenous drug users (IDUs) and most of the rest in sex workers.

Bangladesh is still a low HIV prevalence country, but faces tremendous challenges in remaining so. FHI’s behavioral research among other high-risk groups strongly supports the BSS data and indicates that Bangladesh may not escape an HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Indonesia, a geographically diverse country, has a relatively low HIV prevalence. However, cumulating epidemiologic evidence shows epidemics are emerging among some high-risk groups, particularly including sex workers in its eastern Irian Jaya Province and intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Jakarta.

This report highlights findings from female sex workers and adult males from the first through the fifth waves of the BSS, conducted yearly in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.

This survey is the third round of the BSS conducted in the highway route of the FHI project area.

The summary report gives the key findings and conclusions of the HIV/AIDS Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BSS) conducted between October 1999 and March 2001 in selected areas of Maharashtra.

Sections of the final report cover: Background Information, Sexual Behavior, STD and HIV/AIDS Knowledge, STD Health Seeking Behavior.

The set of case studies in this collection emerged from a session entitled Best Practices in Female Sex Worker Projects held at the Fourth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Manila, October 1997.