title: STD/AIDS knowledge, attitude, practice, and characteristics of market vendors in Hefei, China.
abstract: Little is known about the information on sexually transmitted disease (STD)/AIDS in the population working in congregating trading markets in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted among three big congregating trading markets in Hefei City. Seven hundred fifty-two market vendors completed a questionnaire, 333 of two markets provided specimen for STD/HIV testing. The majority of market vendors in China are sexually active youths and adults, and have little education. The market vendors had poor knowledge of STD/AIDS. The rates of correct answers to questions about STD/AIDS varied between 21.1%-81.9%. More than 50% of the market vendors had a negative attitude toward HIV-infected individuals. Among the subjects, 27.6% had had premarital or extramarital sex; 15.9% reported using condoms in the past 12 months. Among those who provided specimens, 3.9% were identified with STD, approximately 9 times higher than that in the general population of Hefei (0.4%). Our study suggests China should implement STD/HIV prevention interventions for market vendors to prevent STD/HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Debin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dongqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors