August 18, 2008
Bangkok - The number of AIDS patients in the upper south decreased to 7.3% in 2007, according to public health inspector Dr. Narong Chayakul.
The infection rate was 20.65% during 1990-1995.
The upper south includes provinces such as Chumporn, Ranong, Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Phuket and Krabi.
The rate dropped up to 13.35% to 7.3% in 2007.
At present, AIDS disease is found not only among people with risk behaviors, but also in groups like housewives, children and babies.
The AIDS situation somehow affects the social and economic growth.
In Krabi, there have been 1,612 AIDS patients until May 2007. 292 victims were dead. The most risk factors were having sex (61.6%), drug injection (16.7%) and mother-to-baby transmission (4.4%) respectively.
The infection was mostly found in working people aged 25-29 years (25.36%).
22.92% of victims aged 30-34 years and the infection was widely found in the general worker profession.
