Abstract
As the labor market goes global, immigrant workers are becoming important around the world. However, little research has focused on the characteristics of their sex behaviors. This study examines foreign employees in Korea in order to investigate their understanding of HIV and sexual risk behaviors. The sample (N = 547) was formed from migrant workers in the industrial complex in Ansan district, which depends highly on foreigners as its labor source. Logistic regression, analysis revealed that 36.0% of the respondents were engaged in more than one sexual risk behavior. Those who knew someone infected with HIV (OR = 2.583) and Thai respondents (OR = 3.007) showed high sexual risk behaviors, while married (OR = 0.182) and Korean Chinese (OR = 0.280) workers showed low sexual risk behaviors. Those who had a wealth of knowledge about HIV took a less discriminatory position against the person who had infected them, but this had no statistical effects over the sexual risk behaviors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Korea Statistical Information Service.: 2010 Korea Census (2011)
Korea Immigration Service.: Statistics for Foreigners by Nationality and Qualification (2011)
Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS.: Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic (2010)
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.: National Research of Sexual Behavior and their Attitude toward AIDS, 2005. Ministry of Health and Welfare (2005)
Brockerhoff, M., Biddlecom, A.E.: Migration, sexual behavior and the risk of HIV in Keyna. Int. Migr. Rev. 33(4), 833–856 (1999)
Bianchi, F.T., Shedlin, M.G., Brooks, K.D., Montes, P.M., Reisen, C.A., Zea, M.C., et al.: Partner selection among Latino immigrant men who have sex with men. Arch. Sex. Behav. 39(6), 1321–1330 (2010)
Viadro, C.I., Earp, J.A.: The sexual behavior of married Mexican immigrant men in North Carolina. Soc. Sci. Med. 50(5), 723–735 (2000)
Reisen, C.A., Zea, M.C., Poppen, P.J., Bianchi, F.T.: Male circumcision and HIV status among Latino immigrant MSM in New York City. J. LGBT Health Res. 3(4), 29–36 (2007)
Shedlin, M.G., Decena, C.U., Oliver-Velez, D.: Initial acculturation and HIV risk among new Hispanic immigrants. J. Natl. Med. Assoc. 97(7 Suppl.), 32S–37S (2005)
Cho, B.H.: Sexuality risk & HIV/AIDS. Nanam Publications, Seoul (2008)
Hussey, J.M., Hallfors, D.D., Waller, M.W., Iritani, B.J., Halpern, C.T., Bauer, D.J.: Sexual behavior and drug use among Asian and Latino adolescents: association with immigrant status. J. Immigr. Minor Health 9(2), 85–94 (2007)
Salganik, M.J., Heckathorn, D.: Sampling and estimation in hidden populations using respondent-drive sampling. Sociol. Methodol. 34, 193–239 (2004)
Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Korea International Migration Association.: National Survey on Multicultural Families (2009)
Eskander, G.S., Jahan, M.S., Carter, R.A.: AIDS: knowledge and attitudes among different ethnic groups. J. Natl. Med. Assoc. 82(4), 281, 284-286 (1990)
Nwokoji, U.A., Ajuwon, A.J.: Knowledge of AIDS and HIV risk-related sexual behavior among Nigerian naval personnel. BMC Public Health 4, 24 (2004)
Jung, M.S., Choi, M.K.: The sociodemographic characteristics of concurrent sexual partnerships and their risky sexual behaviors: results of a nationally representative sample of South Korean Adults. Sex. Disabil. 27, 127–138 (2009)
Carey, M.P., Morrison-Beedy, D., Johnson, B.T.: The HIV-Knowledge Questionnaire. AIDS Behav. 1(1), 61–74 (1997)
Shrum, J., Turner, N., Bruce, K.: Development of an instrument to measure attitudes towards AIDS. AIDS Educ. Prev. 1, 222–230 (1989)
Gile, J.K., Handcock, M.S.: Respondent-driven sampling: an assessment of current methodology. Sociol. Methodol. 40(1), 285–327 (2010)
Lee, J.W.: Migrant workers and HIV vulnerability in Korea. Int. Migr. 46(3), 217–233 (2008)
Gras, M.J., van Benthem, B.H., Coutinho, R.A., van den Hoek, A.: Determinants of high-risk sexual behavior among immigrant groups in Amsterdam: implications for interventions. J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. 28(2), 166–172 (2001)
VanLandingham, M., Grandjean, N., Suprasert, S., Sittitrai, W.: Dimensions of AIDS knowledge and risky sexual practices: a study of northern Thai males. Arch. Sex. Behav. 26(3), 269–293 (1997)
Lee, J.W., Sohn, A.: Korean HIV/AIDS policy on international migrants: comparing with OECD countries. Korean J. Health Educ. Promot. 23(5), 47–73 (2006)
Lee, R.S., Kochman, A., Sikkema, K.J.: Internalized stigma among people living with HIV-AIDS. AIDS Behav. 6(4), 309–319 (2002)
Gómez, C.A., Hernández, M., Faigeles, B.: Sex in the new world: an empowerment model for HIV prevention in Latina immigrant women. Health Educ. Behav 26(2), 200–212 (1999)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jung, M. Immigrant Workers’ Knowledge of HIV/AIDS and Their Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Respondent-Driven Sampling Survey in South Korea. Sex Disabil 30, 199–208 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-011-9245-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-011-9245-1