Awareness and high risk behaviors of HIV infection among female sex workers in Yunnan border region

Objective To examine the awareness and high risk behaviors of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)infection among female sex workers(FSWs)in border regions of Yunnan province and to provide evidences for making intervention measures among the FSW.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among FSWs recruited with community probability sampling and census from 8 prefectures and cities in border regions of Yunnan province.Information about demography and risk behaviors were obtained with a face-to-face interview.Results The overall awareness rate for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS)was 97.5% among the 12445 FSWs and there was a statistically significant difference in the rate between the counties in border and inland region(χ²=66.746,P<0.01)and in the border regions the foreign FSWs had a lower AIDS awareness rate than the Chinese FSWs (χ²=149.038,P<0.01).The overall rate of using condom in every sexual activity with the client within previous one month was 94.9% among the FSWs and the rate was lower among the FSWs in border region counties than among those in inland counties(χ²=21.543,P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors for not using condom in commercial sexual activity among the FSWs included aged less than 30 years (odds ratioOR=2.03),being minority(OR=0.782),with the education of under junior high school(OR=1.425),working in ordinary public places(OR=1.098),working in small public places(OR=1.395),without knowledge about AIDS(OR=6.672),and drug using(OR=1.915)and the main reason(55.3%)for no condom use reported by the FSWs was obeying the will of the client.The overall rate of drug use was 1.7% among the FSWs and the overall rate of injection drug use was 0.8%;the foreign FSWs had a higher rate of drug use than the Chinese FSWs(χ²=29.145,P<0.01).The overall prevalence rate of sexually transmitted disease(STD)diagnosed in the previous one year was 0.8% and the most prevalent STD was Chlamydia trachomatis infection of genital tract among the FSWs.Conclusion More attentions should be paid to the FSWs of being foreigner,younger,minority,drug user,with low education,and without knowledge about AIDS in the interventions on HIV infection in border regions of Yunnan province.