Abstract

To understand the status of related knowledge, attitude, the practical situation of behavior on AIDS of the female sex workers (FSWs) in the places of entertainment in Jiangsu Province in order to provide a more effective scientific evidence for prevention and control the prevalence of AIDS. The 867 entertainment FSWs in three cities in Jiangsu province were interviewed by the trained interviewers using the anonymous questionnaire designed by our group. The proportion knowing the three HIV transmission routes was 56.5%, the rate of condom use during the latest sexual intercourse with their regular sexual partners and customers was 57 and 77.7% respectively, there was significant difference between this two kinds of people (c²=73.125, P =0.000) while different age groups was not significantly different (c²=2.753, P=0.431). Results of a logistic regression analysis indicated that age, household location, whether they have regular sexual partners or not and the awareness of AIDS prevention measures were associated with condom use during the latest sexual intercourse. Knowledge with regard to STD/AIDS mostly come from television (69.9%), followed by friends (45.5%). When the interviewees were suspicious of developing STD/AIDS, 85.9% of them choose to seek medical treatment from public hospitals. Entertainment FSWs have a certain understanding of AIDS-related knowledge, but not comprehensive. The customers did not realize that the use of condom can prevent sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Raising the awareness of preventive measures is an important factor to increase the use of condom. FSWs do not use condoms with their regular partners, this will lead to the further spread of AIDS and accelerate the speed of prevalence. Further efforts should be made according to the characteristics of this group to strengthen their health education and behavioral intervention. In practice, trying to work more flexible and using a more comprehensive strategy to intervene in their behavior to control the spread and the prevalence of AIDS.

Key words: AIDS, female sex workers, knowledge, attitude, behavior.