Health-seeking behaviour and access to health services among Chinese female sex workers
| Characteristics by FSW workplace, n/N (%)† | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | All women, n/N (%)† | Lower-risk workplace | Higher-risk workplace | p Value* |
| Need for health services | ||||
| Free condom distribution | 102/201 (50.8) | 55/105 (52.3) | 47/96 (47.8) | 0.63 |
| Service to increase health knowledge | 155/201 (77.1) | 75/105 (71.4) | 80/96 (83.3) | 0.045 |
| Low-cost STI diagnosis and treatment | 108/201 (53.7) | 51/105 (48.6) | 57/96 (59.4) | 0.13 |
| Low-cost reproductive health service | 83/201 (41.3) | 46/105 (43.8) | 37/96 (38.5) | 0.45 |
| Free clean needle and syringe distribution | 23/201 (11.4) | 19/105 (18.1) | 4/96 (4.1) | 0.002** |
| Detoxification treatment | 7/201 (3.5) | 4/105 (3.8) | 3/96 (3.1) | 0.55** |
| Health-seeking behaviour | ||||
| Sought care for STI symptoms (past year)‡ | ||||
| At private clinic or hospital | 55/146 (37.7) | 22/70 (31.4) | 33/76 (43.4) | 0.14 |
| At public clinic or hospital | 37/145 (25.5) | 16/70 (22.9) | 21/75 (28.0) | 0.48 |
| Self-treatment for STI | 76/145 (52.4) | 41/70 (58.8) | 35/75 (46.7) | 0.15 |
| Health services use | ||||
| Received peer education/outreach (past year)‡ | 151/200 (75.5) | 91/104 (87.5) | 60/96 (62.5) | <0.001 |
| Received free condoms (past year)‡ | 155/201 (77.1) | 98/105 (93.3) | 57/96 (59.4) | <0.001 |
| Received methadone/clean needles‡ | 13/199 (6.5) | 9/105 (8.6) | 4/94 (4.3) | 0.17** |
| Received HIV testing(past year) | 60/201 (29.9) | 18/105 (17.1) | 42/96 (43.8) | <0.001 |
| Aware of HIV testing results | 28/60 (46.7) | 13/18 (72.2) | 15/42 (35.7) | 0.009 |
*p Value comparing women working at higher-risk versus lower-risk places using χ2 test unless indicated.
**Fisher's exact test.
†Unless otherwise indicated.
‡Multiple-response question.
FSW, female sex worker; STI, sexually transmitted infection.