Listening to female sex workers in Vietnam: influences on safe-sex practices with clients and partners.

BACKGROUND

This qualitative study assessed HIV/AIDS knowledge and frequency of and influences on condom use with clients and regular, non-client partners among female sex workers (FSWs) in Khanh Hoa, a tourist-oriented province of central Vietnam where sex work is common.

METHODS

Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with indirect (n = 16) and direct (n = 9) FSWs.

RESULTS

Although the majority of respondents were well informed about HIV/AIDS transmission, about one-third had inaccurate beliefs about HIV-positive people as well as the mechanisms by which HIV is transmitted from mother to child. Condom use was inconsistent. More direct than indirect FSWs reported using condoms most of the time with clients but none used condoms all the time. With regular partners, most respondents reported that they never used condoms. Around one-third of women hid their sex work from their regular partners, who made the decision to use or not to use condoms. The most frequently reported reasons for not using condoms with clients were because clients offered a higher price, clients insisted on condom-free sex, and possession of condoms as evidence of sex worker status. For regular partners, the reasons were familiarity, condom use being dependent on partner's decision, and condom use as evidence of sex worker status. There was no apparent relationship between HIV knowledge, time in sex work, and safe sex practices.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations are made to improve the rate of condom use among FSWs.