FOREIGN MIGRANT WORKERS AND HIV/AIDS IN MALAYSIA
foreign migrant workers and HIV/AIDS in Malaysia: risk environment, susceptability and implication for intervention.
Ken CK.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. C11070.
University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Introduction Sustained economic development in Malaysia has attracted over three million immigrant workers from the poorer countries in Asia. The economic benefits derived from foreign workers has resulted in social costs and social problems including rising crimes, fraud, social deviance, health care costs and the transmission of communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS.
Official policies to control the impact of foreign workers have led to discrimination, isolation and abuse of foreign workers and their adaptation and survival strategies represent a high risk enviroment for the spread of HIV/AIDS. Objectives Of This Study This study focuses on the risk enviroment and risk behaviour associated with the problems, issues and needs of selected foreign workers and HIV/AIDS in Malaysia.
Relevant intervention strategies related to HIV/AIDS for foreign workers in Malaysia will be identified. METHODOLOGY: This is a qualitative exploratory study based on formal and informal interviews, focus group discussions, observation and reported cases documented in mass media and past studies. Thirty-five cases studies/histories were documented over the last three years.
Findings and CONCLUSION: The findings describe the adaptation of selected male foreign workers to the risk environment related to HIV/AIDS in Malaysia. Their unsafe sexual behaviour through commercial sex, and casual homosexual and heterosexual activities and implications for the spread of HIV/AIDS will be discussed. Possible HIV/AIDS intervention strategies among male foreign workers are identified.
Zakaria Mohamad 
