A Study On Methods Of Estimating The Population Size Of Male Clients Of Female Sex Workers And Their High-risk Behaviors For HIV/AIDS

Objective To explore effective methods for estimating the population size of clients of female sex workers(FSWs) in present China, and combine sociological qualitative study and epidemiological quantitative study to assess their social background, high-risk behaviors for HIV/AIDS and their determinants thoroughly. Methods Contacted 411 subjects by several approaches including female sex workers volunteers, STD clinics, long-distance bus stations, long-distance freighting station and adopting snowball sampling and applied multiplier methods to estimate the size of clients of female sex workers in Leshan downtown district, in study on estimation of clients size; Thirty-seven clients of FSWs were recruited from STD clinics and communities by snowball sampling and random sampling respectively, and their information were collected through in-depth interview in sociological qualitative study; Contacted 411 subjects by same approaches as study on estimation of clients size, employed an anonymous questionnaire, and data were analyzed by means of multivariate analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis. Result (1)The estimated number of clients of was: 31 934~38 638 in Leshan downtown district; (2)The majority of clients were 25-40 years old, married ,with junior high school or more educational level; (3)In their opinion it's natural and prevalent to visit FSWs. Reasons for visiting FSWs included personality, physiological demand, occupation, income and age. (4)Frequency of clients visiting FSWs was between 1 to 180, and 15 times in average in the previous year, marriage and proportion of their friends or colleagues who ever visited female sex workers were its influence factors;(5)There were 27.98% used condom insistently duringcommercial sexual intercourse, inhabitation, knowledge score about AIDS and education level were its positive influence factors, while lack of pleasant sensation, believing in FWSs, and no condom with himself were its negatives influence factors; (6)28.36% had ever contracted STD, which was related to frequency of commercial sexual intercourse in the previous year and frequency of condom use during commercial sexual intercourse significantly. Conclusion The ways to contact subjects effectively and to ensure sample representative were sex workers volunteers and adopting snowballing methods. Multiplier methods could calculate the population size of the clients simply and quickly. Clients of female sex workers came from all kinds of socioeconomic stratum, their frequency of using condom insistently were low during commercial sex intercourse, and quiet a bit of them had been ill with STD. Clients of female sex workers could be approached and studied, and be chosen as target population of specific intervention programs.