Tropical Medicine and International Health
Volume 12, Issue 8, 2007, Pages 999-1008

Migrants' access to antiretroviral therapy in Thailand (Article)

Saether S.T.* , Chawphrae U. , Zaw M.M. , Keizer C. , Wolffers I.
  • a VU University Medical Centre, Section Health Care and Culture, Amsterdam, Netherlands, VU University Medical Centre, Section Health Care and Culture, A-322, De Boelelaan 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • b Thai Labour Campaign, Bangkok, Thailand
  • c Thai Labour Campaign, Bangkok, Thailand
  • d VU University Medical Centre, Section Health Care and Culture, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • e VU University Medical Centre, Section Health Care and Culture, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

Objective: To investigate migrants' access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and assess the applicability of ART guidelines to migrants. Methods: Six focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in Thailand with 74 Burmese migrants: factory workers in Mae Sot and Bangkok, construction site workers in Chiang Mai and unemployed and undocumented HIV-positive migrants in Mae Sot. Thirteen key stakeholders and migrants were interviewed for triangulation. Results: (1) Present criteria for in-/exclusion restrict migrants' access to ART. (2) Leading ART guidelines are not applicable for migrants in general. (3) Migrants are likely to experience more problems with adherence to ART than local patients, which increases the importance of ART guidelines. Conclusions: Without ART guidelines that take into consideration the specific circumstances that limit migrants' access to ART, health care providers will continue to render HIV-positive migrants ineligible. Interventions are needed to both make the ART guidelines applicable to migrants and to overcome obstacles restricting migrants' access to ART. This will greatly improve migrants' access to ART and help to save the lives of thousands of HIV-positive migrants. © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Author Keywords

Antiretroviral Art Migrants ART guidelines Access Thailand

Index Keywords

Eurasia Human immunodeficiency virus infection health care personnel Thailand interpersonal communication human Asia economic aspect controlled study Anti-Retroviral Agents social network antiretrovirus agent social support Human immunodeficiency virus health care cost migrant worker Humans male Southeast Asia female Socioeconomic Factors health services blood examination Article health care patient compliance major clinical study health education traffic and transport health care access Transients and Migrants health center social discrimination drug effect Health Services Accessibility
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34547849512&doi=10.1111%2fj.1365-3156.2007.01879.x&partnerID=40&md5=65a4ba73f7b44512537f3cb7d80ebf54
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01879.x
ISSN: 13602276
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English