STI / HIV Prevalence Surveys of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Seafarers and Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Kiribati 2002-2003

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS are a major public health problem in the Western Pacific region with serious health, economic and social implications. Kiribati is a Micronesian island country in the Western Pacific Ocean, with an estimated population of just under 100,000 people. Seafarers are thought to be a key transmitter population of STI into their local communities due to a number of factors. This report sets out the findings of two STI prevalence surveys conducted on the island during 2003, in order to consider STI prevention and control measures and disease prevalence estimates among at risk populations.