User:Jbailey9612/sandbox

Sexual health
Access to information and treatment regarding AIDS/HIV/STIs remain limited in Laos due to a conservative culture and sensitivity towards sexuality. While 99% of commercial sex workers reported using condoms, 26% of all Female Sex Workers (FSW) have had an abortion. Abortions in Laos are not only illegal, but also generally performed in unsafe conditions by untrained practitioners. In 2004, infection rates of Chlamydia and gonorrhea were 33 and 18%. Many individuals reported fear in going to health facilities for treatment due to social discrimination regarding pre-marital sex and “clinician’s negative attitudes towards ‘dirty diseases’”. A general lack of knowledge exists in Laos regarding RTI/STIs. The main sources of information are radios and television, however, access to health information is even more difficult in rural areas

HIV/AIDs

Access the treatment and health services