Investigation on initiation into commercial sex among female sex workers in Xichang city

  Objective   To investigate the incidence of initiation into commercial sex among female sex workers(FSWs)in Xichang city, Sichuan province, China.

  Methods   From December 2004 to J anuary 2005, a community-based survey was conducted to investigate demographic characteristics, age at initiation into commercial sex, high risk behaviors and number of FSWs in their friends before commercial sex.

  Results   The incidence from the first sex intercourse to initiation into commercial sex was 25.95/100 person year(95%CI: 23.20~28.69)among FSWs.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model indicated that ethnicity(HR, 1.55;95%CI, 1.11~2.16), age at first sex intercourse(years)(HR, 1.38;95%CI, 1.09~1.74)and marital history before commercial sex(HR, 3.09;95%CI, 2.41~3.97)were independently associated with initiation into commercial sex, respectively.

  Conclusion   Ethnicity, no marital history and age at first sex intercourse were factors contributed to initiation into commercial sex among FSWs.