Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

In the 2009-10 TLDHS, women and men who reported an STI or STI symptoms in the past
12 months were asked about the advice or treatment they sought for it. Figure 14.1 shows that 44
percent of women and 29 percent of men sought no advice or treatment, while about 53 percent of
women and 63 percent of men sought advice or treatment from clinics, hospitals, private doctors, or
other health professionals.
Figure 14.1 Women and Men Seeking Advice or Treatment
for STIs
70 Percent
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
53
63
Clinic/hospital/
private doctor/
other health
professional prof
0
Advice or
medicine from
shop/pharmacy
14.7 PREVALENCE OF MEDICAL INJECTIONS
7 6 8
Women Men
Advice or
treatment from
any other source
44
29
No advice or
treatment
Timor-Leste 2009-10
Use of nonsterile injections in a health care setting can contribute to the transmission of
bloodborne pathogens. To measure the potential risk of transmission of HIV associated with medical
injections, respondents in the 2009-10 TLDHS were asked if they had received an injection in the past
12 months, and if so, whether their last injection was given with a syringe from a new, unopened
package. It should be noted that medical injections can be self-administered (e.g., insulin for
diabetes). These injections were not included in the calculation.
Table 14.10 shows that 22 percent of women and 6 percent of men age 15-49 received a
medical injection in the past 12 months. The average number of injections was less than 1 among
women and men. The potential risk of transmission of HIV associated with such injections is very low
because the vast majority of respondents—98 percent of women and men who received medical
injections—reported that the syringe and needle were taken from a new, unopened package. These
figures are encouraging for the Timorese population and for the Ministry of Health, because
contaminated needles can be one means by which HIV is transmitted.
HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior | 195