Estimating the population of female sex workers in two Chinese cities on the basis of the HIV/AIDS behavioural surveillance approach combined with a multiplier method.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the size of the population of female sex workers (FSWs) on the basis of the HIV/AIDS behavioural surveillance approach in two Chinese cities, using a multiplier method.


METHODS
Relevant questions were inserted into the questionnaires given to two behavioural surveillance groups-female attendees of sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics and FSWs. The size of the FSW population was derived by multiplying the number of FSWs in selected STD clinics during the study period by the proportion of FSW population who reported having attended the selected STD clinics during the same period.


RESULTS
The size of the FSW population in the urban area of Xingyi, China, was estimated to be about 2500 (95% CI 2000 to 3400). This accounted for 3.6% of the total urban adult female population. There were an estimated 17,500 FSWs in the urban area of Guiyang, China (95% CI 10,300 to 31,900) or about 3.4% of its total urban adult female population (rounded to the nearest 100).


CONCLUSIONS
The multiplier method could be a useful and cost-effective approach to estimate the FSW population, especially suitable in countries where HIV behavioural surveillance has been established in high-risk populations.
Zhang
Dapeng
D
Department of Epidemiology, National Centre for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China. dapeng.zhang@adelaide.edu.au
Lv
Fan
F
Wang
Liyan
L
Sun
Liangxian
L
Zhou
Jian
J
Su
Wenyi
W
Bi
Peng
P
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health