Online HIV/STI Chinese clinician training

The Impact of Healthcare Access on Knowledge and Willingness for HIV Testing in Chinese Female Entertainment Workers

Chinese female entertainment workers are at high risk for HIV. We assessed the impact of healthcare access on HIV knowledge, condom use, and their willingness to receive HIV testing. We surveyed 257 entertainment workers in a cross-sectional study. Demographic, knowledge, and behavioral risk factors were examined. Of 257 women, 107 (42.1%) reported inconsistent condom use. Only 9% had prior HIV testing. Their HIV knowledge was generally poor. Having access to healthcare, being able to obtain condoms, and managers providing health information were associated with consistent condom use (all P < 0.01). Having access to healthcare was related to previous HIV testing (P < 0.01). Our study showed that having a doctor and access to healthcare had positive effects on HIV knowledge and likelihood of condom use and previous HIV testing. Chinese medical providers can play a significant role in encouraging HIV testing and outreach in migrant women employed at entertainment venues.

Intervention to train physicians in rural China on HIV/STI knowledge and risk reduction counseling: preliminary findings

We evaluated an intervention to train physicians in rural China on knowledge of HIV/STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment options, and HIV/STI behavioral risk reduction counseling. This paper reports preliminary findings related to feasibility and acceptability of the program. Using a pre-post design, 69 physicians were recruited from rural county hospitals and participated in a 10-day group training program, followed by two months of clinical fieldwork and two additional weeks of training. Physicians completed baseline and six-month assessments. Patients' cohorts, recruited from clinic waiting areas of participating physicians, completed baseline and six-month HIV/STI risk assessments. Physicians reported increased knowledge of HIV biology and pathology, epidemiology, host immune response, opportunisitic infection and syndromic management, antiretroviral therapy, risk reduction counseling, and stigma reduction following the training. Patients reported improved knowledge of HIV, reduced HIV stigma, higher rates of HIV testing, and improved condom use at follow-up. The findings suggest that training physicians on HIV/STI-related knowledge and risk reduction counseling is a promising strategy for reducing HIV/STI epidemics in rural China.

Chinese health care providers’ attitudes about HIV: a review

China has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world with an increase in reported cases of about 30% yearly (UNAIDS, 2004). As the epidemic has grown, there have been several studies of health care provider attitudes towards HIV in China over the last 15 years. While attitudes have evolved, misconceptions about transmission of HIV, low levels of support for people living with HIV/AIDS and stigmatized groups, and a poor understanding of the importance of condoms in HIV prevention, remain. The studies are limited by a weakness of survey instruments and an absence of focus on the gendered nature of the HIV epidemic. Recommendations for future research in this area include development of a theoretical base, consideration of gender and stigma, and incorporation of these issues into the survey instruments.