Difference in risk behaviors and STD prevalence between street-based and establishment-based FSWs in Guangdong Province, China.
The major mode of HIV/AIDS transmission in China is now heterosexual activities, but risk for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may differ among different strata of female sex workers (FSWs). Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 320 FSWs in Guangdong Province, China. The respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and tested for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia. The street-based FSWs had lower education levels, a higher proportion supporting their families, charged less for their services, and had engaged in commercial sex for a longer period of time than establishment-based FSWs. The proportion consistently using condoms with clients and with regular non-paying partners was also lower. The prevalence of syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia was higher among street-based sex workers. Being a street-based sex worker, having regular non-paying sex partners, and having non-regular non-paying partners were independent risk factors for inconsistent condom. Street-based FSWs had more risk behaviors than establishment-based FSWs, and should therefore be specifically targeted for HIV as well as STD intervention programs.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
Yan
Y
Li
Roger
R
Detels
Peng
P
Lin
Xiaobing
X
Fu
Zhongming
Z
Deng
Yongying
Y
Liu
Guohua
G
Huang
Jie
J
Li
Yihe
Y
Tan
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013587:Syphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult