157168 HIV sexual risks among female sex workers in a rural Chinese county: Role of migratory status

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Yan Hong, PhD , Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Xiaoming Li , Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Hongmei Yang , Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Xiaoyi Fang , Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Qing Xiong , School of Humanities, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, China, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China
Danhua Lin, PhD , Beijing Normal University, Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing, China
Background: Literature suggests that migration is associated increased risks of HIV/STD infection, but data are limited on such association among the female sex workers (FSWs), particularly millions of FSWs in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered among 454 FSWs in a rural county at southwest (H County, Guangxi) of China. The participants were recruited from entertainment establishments through community outreach. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to explore the relationship between HIV risks and migratory status.

Results: About 11% of FSWs were from H County, 55% were from other places in Guangxi, and 34% were from outside of Guangxi. After controlling for key individual characteristics, women from H County had a higher sexual risk score than women from outside Guangxi (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in sexual risk score between non-Guangxi women and Guangxi women. Compared to women from outside of Guangxi, the odds of contracting any STD was 2.39 times higher (95% CI: 1.09-5.21) for women from H county, and 1.78 times higher (95% CI: 0.91-3.49) for women from other places of Guangxi.

Conclusion: Our data indicate that in a rural county of China, local FSWs are at higher risks of HIV infection with more sexual risk behaviors and higher rates of STD infection than FSWs from other areas. FSWs who lack of leverage of moving around are more vulnerable and less protected. Health workers need to recognize the differences in sexual practices among FSWs with different migratory status, so as to design and implement appropriate intervention programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the relationship between migratory status and HIV sexual risk behaviors among female sex workers in a rural county of China. 2. Understand the relationship between migratory status and STD infection among FSWs in a rural county of China. 3. Explore appropriate interventions for FSWs considering their characteristics such as migratory status.

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Sex Workers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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