Study on medical outreach services in female sex workers of a sauna bath place in Shanghai city

  Objective   To evaluate the performance in which systemic continuous medical outreach services and surveillance of sexually transmitted disease(STDs)were provided to the sauna female workers; to explore better ways to control the STDs epidemic.

  Methods   In April 2003, September 2003, March 2004 and October 2004, systemic periodic medical services and surveillance were provided to the sauna female workers and collected their characteristics possibly associated with STDs.

  Results   Among the four surveys, the average ages were fiom 24.39 to 25.03.Their prior experiences all were in the recreation location(bar, sauna, KTV and so on).The rates of knowing the names of common STDs all were low, and the rate of knowing the names of four kinds STDs and hepatitis was 51.8%;the rates in the forth smurvey were different from the former surveys significantly(P < 0.001).The rates of douching keep in high level(all up to 70%).The differences of the incidences of STDs were not statistically significant(P=0.394), the rate of the abnormal results in the leucorr hea routine examining(including bacter ia vaginitis, mycosis and trichomoniasis)in the first survey(34.0%)was higher than those in the other surveys(18.2%, 14.9% and 12.8%, P=0.006).No HTV infection and gonorrhea were detected.

  Conclusion   Though the performance, the STDs could be detected and rational therapies could be provided timely to cut down the chain of transmitting STDs; to enhance the female sauna workers.ability; to access to the medical services, and to promote their behaviors on theirown initiatives.