Sindh Ratchasi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Sindh Ratchasi

Assessing the Impact of a HIV Prevention Program Among Transgender People in Thailand Using Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM)

PSI/Thailand targets transgender people with HIV prevention services through peer outreach and dr... more PSI/Thailand targets transgender people with HIV prevention services through peer outreach and drop-in centers . This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the program on HIV testing and consistent condom use. 386 transgender people who reported penetrative anal sex with a man in the past three months were recruited using time/location? sampling. . Program exposure was defined as outreach contact or use of drop-in center services in the past 12 months. We used to CEM to match exposed/non-exposed cases on size of social group, occupation, and place and length of residence, and logistic regression was used to estimate program effects adjusting for CEM weights. Program exposure (69%) was associated with greater odds of having tested for HIV In the past 6 months (AOR=2.61, 95%CI: 1.49-4.54). Program exposure was not associated with greater odds of consistent condom use.

Factors Associated with Use of Sterile Needles among People Who Inject Drugs in Thailand

Background: HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Thailand has persisted at a co... more Background: HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Thailand has persisted at a comparatively high level of 40% for the past two decades, suggesting that risk behaviors remain common among this population. The CHAMPION-IDU project aims to reach over 12,000 IDUs across 19 provinces and provide sterile injecting equipment, condoms, referrals to HIV testing, counseling and treatment, STI diagnosis and treatment, and opioid substitution therapy. Methodology: To improve effectiveness of behavior change communications (BCC) towards increased needle and syringe distribution, a behavioral survey was conducted in 2010 with 412 PWID from Bangkok. Study participants were recruited using Respondent Driven Sampling, with data collected using self-administered pocket PCs. Estimates were adjusted using RDSAT. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with sterile needle use at last injection. Results: At last injection, 15.8% of PWID reported sharing needles; 29.2%...

PLoS ONE, 2013

Transgender women are particularly at risk of HIV infection, but little evidence exists on effect... more Transgender women are particularly at risk of HIV infection, but little evidence exists on effective HIV prevention strategies with this population. We evaluated whether Sisters, a peer-led program for transgender women, could reduce HIV risks in Pattaya, Thailand. The study used time-location sampling to recruit 308 transgender women in Pattaya into a behavioral survey in 2011. Coarsened exact matching was used to create statistically equivalent groups of program participants and non-participants, based on factors influencing likelihood of program participation. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated effects of any program participation and participation by delivery channel on: condom use at last sex; consistent condom and condom/water-based lubricant use in the past 3 months with commercial, casual, and regular partners; and receipt of HIV testing in the past 6 months. Program coverage reached 75% of the population. In a matched sub-sample (n = 238), participation in outreach was associated with consistent condom/water-based lubricant use with commercial partners (AOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.64-6.31). Attendance at the Sisters drop-in center was associated with receiving an HIV test (AOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.47-4.52). Dedicated transgender-friendly programs are effective at reducing HIV risks and require expansion to better serve this key population and improve HIV prevention strategies.

Assessing the Impact of a HIV Prevention Program Among Transgender People in Thailand Using Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM)

PSI/Thailand targets transgender people with HIV prevention services through peer outreach and dr... more PSI/Thailand targets transgender people with HIV prevention services through peer outreach and drop-in centers . This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the program on HIV testing and consistent condom use. 386 transgender people who reported penetrative anal sex with a man in the past three months were recruited using time/location? sampling. . Program exposure was defined as outreach contact or use of drop-in center services in the past 12 months. We used to CEM to match exposed/non-exposed cases on size of social group, occupation, and place and length of residence, and logistic regression was used to estimate program effects adjusting for CEM weights. Program exposure (69%) was associated with greater odds of having tested for HIV In the past 6 months (AOR=2.61, 95%CI: 1.49-4.54). Program exposure was not associated with greater odds of consistent condom use.

Factors Associated with Use of Sterile Needles among People Who Inject Drugs in Thailand

Background: HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Thailand has persisted at a co... more Background: HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Thailand has persisted at a comparatively high level of 40% for the past two decades, suggesting that risk behaviors remain common among this population. The CHAMPION-IDU project aims to reach over 12,000 IDUs across 19 provinces and provide sterile injecting equipment, condoms, referrals to HIV testing, counseling and treatment, STI diagnosis and treatment, and opioid substitution therapy. Methodology: To improve effectiveness of behavior change communications (BCC) towards increased needle and syringe distribution, a behavioral survey was conducted in 2010 with 412 PWID from Bangkok. Study participants were recruited using Respondent Driven Sampling, with data collected using self-administered pocket PCs. Estimates were adjusted using RDSAT. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with sterile needle use at last injection. Results: At last injection, 15.8% of PWID reported sharing needles; 29.2%...

PLoS ONE, 2013

Transgender women are particularly at risk of HIV infection, but little evidence exists on effect... more Transgender women are particularly at risk of HIV infection, but little evidence exists on effective HIV prevention strategies with this population. We evaluated whether Sisters, a peer-led program for transgender women, could reduce HIV risks in Pattaya, Thailand. The study used time-location sampling to recruit 308 transgender women in Pattaya into a behavioral survey in 2011. Coarsened exact matching was used to create statistically equivalent groups of program participants and non-participants, based on factors influencing likelihood of program participation. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated effects of any program participation and participation by delivery channel on: condom use at last sex; consistent condom and condom/water-based lubricant use in the past 3 months with commercial, casual, and regular partners; and receipt of HIV testing in the past 6 months. Program coverage reached 75% of the population. In a matched sub-sample (n = 238), participation in outreach was associated with consistent condom/water-based lubricant use with commercial partners (AOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.64-6.31). Attendance at the Sisters drop-in center was associated with receiving an HIV test (AOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.47-4.52). Dedicated transgender-friendly programs are effective at reducing HIV risks and require expansion to better serve this key population and improve HIV prevention strategies.