| Abstract(English) |
At present, AIDS is a health problem because it is a fatal disease for which there is no vaccine or treatment, and it is spreading rapidly especially among female prostitutes who are a high-risk group. The quasi-experimental research was mainly focused on the effectiveness of a health education program on AIDS prevention through behavior modification among traditional massage-working girls in Satun Province. The program applied the Protection Motivation Theory, Group Process as a means of creating an effective health education program and establishing interesting activities for motivating the experimental group to participate until the program was finished. The sample consisted of 46 traditional massage-working girls in in the experimental group and 43 working girls in the comparison group. The experimental group underwent a health education program conducted by the researcher while the comparison group did not undergo a health education program. Data collection was done through an interview questionnaire, self-recording form, test of condom use and a blood test for VDRL. Data were collected twice, before and after the program. A percentage, mean, standard deviation, paired sample t-test and students t-test were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that the experimental group had a greater perception of the severity of AIDS and of their own susceptibility to the disease. They also demonstrated greater self-efficacy, response efficacy and better AIDS prevention behavior than the pretest and comparison group with a statistical significance at 0.05 confidence level. Based on the results, it can be concluded that a health education program, which applied the Protection Motivation Theory, Group Process and establishing interesting activities for motivating the experimental group to participate in a health education program has effectively modified preventive behavior among working girls in traditional massage. Therefore, this program should be applied to other prostitutes. |
