Situation of anal sex among low-tier female sex workers in the Demonstration Areas of Comprehensive AIDS Responses in Zhejiang province

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of anal sex and related factors in low-tier female sex workers (FSWs) in the demonstration areas of comprehensive AIDS responses (DACAR) in Zhejiang province. Method: In 2013, a survey on low-tier FSWs was carried out in 21 Demonstration Areas of AIDS Responses in Zhejiang. Experience of having anal sex with clients in the last month was taken as dependent variable while independent variables would include perception and characteristics related to behavior of the FSWs. The multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors related to anal sex in low-tier FSWs. Results: A total of 2 645 low-tier FSWs were interviewed. Among these FSWs, 67.9% (1 796/2 645) were over 26 years old, 89.9% (2 378/2 645) were with education level of junior high school or below, 58.4% (1 546/2 645) were married, 78.2% (2 068/2 645) were from other provinces, 68.6% (1 814/2 645) had income level less than 4 000 Yuan, and rates of anal sex with client in the last month were 5.03% (133/2 645). Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis of related factors of anal sex with client in the last month showed that among the low-tier FSWs, the venues of having commercial sex were in hair salons/massage parlors (OR=7.31, 95%CI: 2.27-23.59), roadside shops (OR=7.89, 95%CI: 2.27- 27.40) or other places (OR=4.65, 95%CI: 1.23-17.53), when compared with the street-women service. FSWs often engaged in commercial sex business in three or more counties (OR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.01-2.81), when compared with FSWs often engaged in commercial sex business just one county. FSWs had sex with only middle-aged and the elderly clients (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.30-0.66), when compared with FSWs had sex with young or middle-aged and the elderly clients. FSWs had risk perception for sexually transmitted disease (STD) (OR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.20-3.32), when compared with FSWs with no risk perception. FSWs had oral sex experience with their clients in the last month (OR=7.29, 95%CI: 4.78-11.12), when compared with the ones without oral sex. The above said factors were all related to the incidence of anal sex. Conclusions: Certain numbers of low-tier FSWs had anal sex experiences with their clients, especially those who had oral sex were more likely to have anal sex in DACAR in Zhejiang province. Attention should be paid to anal sex behavior when conducting behavior-related intervention programs, targeting on the low-tier FSWs.