title: [Characteristics of social supportive network serving the older female sex workers in Qingdao].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To overview the status of social support on older female sex workers (OFSWs) in Qingdao and to better understand the characteristics of this egocentric social support networks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ucinet 6 software was used to analyze the characteristics of egocentric social networks which involving 400 OFSWs who were recruited by respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method in Qingdao during March 2014 to June. Structural equation model (SEM) was used for data analysis, fitted test and estimation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 400 OFSWs of Qingdao nominated 1 617 social supportive members, and the average size of egocentric social networks of OFSWs was (4.0 ± 1.5). Among all the alter egos (social support network members of the egos), 613 were female sex workers fellows, accounted for the most important part of all the social ties (37.91%). Characteristics of small size and non-relative relationships were seen more obviously among OFSWs with non-local registration and the ratings of emotional support (4.42±2.38) was significantly lower than the tangible support (5.73 ± 1.69) (P<0.05). Result of the SEM showed that homogeneity, joint strength and the network structure were significantly related to the ratings of average support. The total standard effects of which were 0.110, 0.925 and -0.069 respectively. It seemed that homogeneity can affect the degree of support, both directly and indirectly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OFSWs in Qingdao tended to ask for social support from friends who were also female sex workers. Stronger the joint strength between egos and alters, greater the homogeneity between the two was seen. Tighter relations among the alter egos, higher degree of average social support of the egos were acquired.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology of Department of Schools of Public health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012.
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology of Department of Schools of Public health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012.
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of AIDS/STDs Control and Prevention, Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao 266033.
authors.forename: Z X
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of AIDS/STDs Control and Prevention, Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao 266033.
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of AIDS/STDs Control and Prevention, Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao 266033.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Jiaozhou Love Center for Health Consulting and Testing, Jiaozhou 266300.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Medical School Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003.
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology of Department of Schools of Public health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012.
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires