Clients of female sex workers in Nyanza province, Kenya: a core group in STD/HIV transmission.
BACKGROUND
Commercial sex plays an important role in the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa, especially in beginning epidemics.


OBJECTIVE
The goal was to study the sociodemographic characteristics and sexual risk behavior of clients of female sex workers (FSWs) in Nyanza province, Kenya.


METHODS
In the town of Kisumu and the rural districts Siaya and Bondo, male clients of FSWs were identified in bars, nightclubs, and lodges. An informal conversation was held with 64 clients.


RESULTS
The majority of clients were between 25 and 36 years old, were married, and had extramarital partners in addition to FSWs. Most clients had visited several (3-5) different FSWs in the previous year, of whom at least 2 were in long-term, steady client-FSW relationships. Clients visited FSWs an average of once or twice a week. Most clients were not consistently using condoms with FSWs; the main reason given was that they "trusted" their steady FSWs.


CONCLUSIONS
Commercial sex in Nyanza frequently involves multiple steady relationships instead of rapidly changing one-time contacts. Information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns aimed at risk reduction in commercial sex should promote condom use in steady FSW-client relationships.
Voeten
Helene A C M
HA
Department of Public Health, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Egesah
Omar B
OB
Ondiege
Mark Y
MY
Varkevisser
Corlien M
CM
Habbema
J Dik F
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires