Demographic and behavioral correlates of HIV/STI among Vietnamese female sex workers in southwest China

Abstract

Previous literature has suggested high rates of HIV/STIs among Chinese FSWs. However, limited data were available regarding HIV-related risks among Vietnamese FSWs—a rapidly increasing, vulnerable population in southwest China. The current study examined the demographic and behavioral factors associated with the infection rates of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis C (HCV) among Vietnamese FSWs in Guangxi, China. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a cumulative sample of 1,026 Vietnamese FSWs (aged 14–66) recruited over five years (2010–2014) from 35 National Sentinel Surveillance (NSS) sites within the Guangxi province. Analyses included Fisher’s exact chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression (LR). The overall prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and HCV infections among the cross-border women were 3.2%, 6.9%, and 2.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that greater lengths of sex work and lower-paying work venues were significant risk factors for HIV infection; for syphilis infection, older age, drug use experience, and forgoing condom use were significant risk factors; for HCV infection, drug use experience was the only significant risk factor. Our findings suggest that elevated HIV-related risks among the Vietnamese FSWs are closely related to their financial disadvantages and that drug use is a prominent risk factor for cross-border women in the sex trade. Furthermore, culturally tailored and linguistically accessible HIV prevention and intervention initiatives that target cross-border FSWs, with a close international collaboration between China and Vietnam, is urgently needed.

HIV-1 and Syphilis Prevalence Among Local Chinese and Cross-Border Migrant Female Sex Workers in Sino-Vietnam Border Cities in Guangxi, China: A Nine-Year Consecutive Cross-Sectional Study

“…Furthermore, we found a downward trend in HIV-1 prevalence among LCFSWs, but this downward trend was not found among CMFSWs with a upward trend from 2016 to 2018, which was of great concerned with us. The higher HIV-1 prevalence among CMFSWs than LCFSWs was consistent with previous studies [15,17]. It demonstrated that CMFSWs in China were typically impoverished, facing language barriers and lacking of Chinese legal protection, all of which may prevent them from effectively participating in local HIV-1 intervention programmes [15], thus putting them at higher risk of HIV-1 infection.…”

“…The overall HIV-1 prevalence in FSWs in ve border Provinces in Vietnam also reached 4.5% [16]. An early age of sexual debut, low-tier venues and the greater length of sex work were signi cant risk factors for HIV-1 infection in border areas [15,17].…”

“…Study has shown that the proportion of FSWs using condoms in cross-border migrants was only 39.5%, far lower than the proportion of local Chinese female sex workers (LCFSWs) using condoms in border counties of Guangxi (88.4%) [14]. Higher HIV-1 prevalence was observed among cross-border migrant female sex workers (CMFSWs) than LCFSWs in Guangxi, ranging from 3.2% [15] to 8.2% [9]. The overall HIV-1 prevalence in FSWs in ve border Provinces in Vietnam also reached 4.5% [16].…”

“…The overall HIV-1 prevalence in FSWs in ve border Provinces in Vietnam also reached 4.5% [16]. An early age of sexual debut, low-tier venues and the greater length of sex work were signi cant risk factors for HIV-1 infection in border areas [15,17].Much previous work had focused on HIV/STIs prevalence and their associated factors among FSWs, while few studies have used a consecutive crosssectional study to longitudinally reveal the trends of HIV-1 prevalence and related behaviours. In addition, male clients without steady commercial sexual partner have been shown to be at higher risk of HIV-1 and syphilis infection, which were affected by a variety of characteristics of commercial sex [18].However, few studies have examined whether the characteristics of male clients have an impact on STIs or HIV-1 infection in FSWs.…”

HIV prevalence and correlated factors of female sex workers and male clients in a border region of Yunnan Province, China

“…By the development of economic cooperation between China and Vietnam, an increasing number of people moved across the border into the two countries, including FSWs and their male clients. 11,12 It is estimated that more than 600 Vietnamese FSWs and 100 Chinese FSWs operate in Hekou. The flourishing commercial sex industry also attracted many male clients travelling to Hekou county.…”