AIDS knowledge and condom use among female sex workers in Tibet Autonomous Region: a cross-sectional survey

  Objective  To examine the awareness on knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in Tibet Autonomous Region (Tibet) and to provide evidences for HIV/AIDS control.

  Methods  Totally 2 047 FSWs were recruited at 7 state-level sites for surveillance on HIV/AIDS in Tibet with stratified random sampling and cluster sampling. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among the recruited FSWs using the questionnaire developed by Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention during 2019. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test and unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the awareness of HIV/AIDS knowledge and its impact on condom use among the FSWs.

  Results  For all the FSWs, the awareness rate of HIV/AIDS knowledge was 83.93% and the proportion of using condom in the last commercial sex was 71.71%. Of the FSWs, 20.86%, 36.59%, and 42.55% reported never, sometimes, and always using condom in commercial sex during the past one month, respectively. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed following promoting factors for being aware of HIV/AIDS knowledge in the FSWs: having unmarried cohabitation (odds ratio OR=3.31, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.14 – 9.64), with the education of senior high school and above (OR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.25 – 2.54), working in high grade public places (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.38 – 3.11), and ever receiving HIV/AIDS counseling and testing (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 2.28 – 3.79). Compared to those without HIV/AIDS knowledge, the FSWs with the knowledge were more likely to use condom in commercial sex (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.32 – 2.24) after adjusting for potential confounding variables.

  Conclusion  The rate of being aware of HIV/AIDS knowledge and using condom in commercial sex are at a low level among female sex workers in Tibet Autonomous Region in 2019 and improving the awareness on HIV/AIDS knowledge may promote condom use of the female sex workers.