Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Care-Seeking Behaviors of Male Clients of Female Sex Workers in Bangladesh

Ahmed, Anisuddin; Reichenbach, Laura; Alam, Nazmul

doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e318273718e

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The majority of FSWs in our study sought care from DIC, which is similar to a study in Laos where 53% of FSWs reported receiving care from DIC [40]. While care seeking for STIs by male partners of FSWs in Bangladesh was dominated by pharmacies[41], only 16% of FSWs reported seeking care from pharmacies. DICs appear to be successful in providing STI services to FSWs and should be considered as a important program to improve SRH among this population.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Sexual and reproductive health behaviors of female sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

et al. 2017

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ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to document sexual and reproductive health (SRH) practices among female sex workers (FSWs) including abortion, pregnancy, use of maternal healthcare services and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with the aim of developing recommendations for action.MethodsA total of 731 FSWs aged between 15 and 49 years were surveyed using a stratified sampling in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A workshop with 23 participants consisted of policy makers, researchers, program implementers was conducted to formulate recommendations.ResultsAbout 61.3% of 731 FSWs reported SRH-related experiences in the past one year, including abortion (15.5%), ongoing pregnancy (9.0%), childbirth (8.3%) or any symptoms of STIs (41.6%). Among FSWs who had an abortion (n = 113), the most common methods included menstrual regulation through manual vacuum aspiration (47.8%), followed by Dilation and Curettage procedure (31%) and oral medicine from pharmacies (35.4%). About 57.5% of 113 cases reported post abortion complications. Among FSWs with delivery in the past year (n = 61), 27.7% attended the recommended four or more antenatal care visits and more than half did not have any postnatal visit. Adopting sustainable and effective strategies to provide accessible and adequate SRH services for FSWs was prioritized by workshop participants.ConclusionThere was substantial unmet need for SRH care among FSWs in urban areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Therefore, it is important to integrate SRH services for FSWs in the formal healthcare system or integration of abortion and maternal healthcare services within existing HIV prevention services.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Sexual and reproductive health behaviors of female sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

et al. 2017

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“…The study findings suggest that a range of formal and informal healthcare providers provide SRH services to married men in the three study areas. Informal healthcare providers are those who do not have a formal medical degree but provide treatment mostly in the rural areas and urban slums in Bangladesh [ 17 ]. These providers range from village doctors (sometimes called rural medical practitioners or palli chikitsok ) to faith healers ( hujur, pir and fakir ), drug store salespeople, street-based medicine sellers, kabiraj and hakim (herbalists).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given this shortage of formal providers and mushrooming of informal providers, it is quite realistic that many men will solve their SRH concerns by consulting with the informal providers. A study conducted by Ahmed et al on care-seeking behaviors for STDs among male clients of female sex workers in Bangladesh found that 52.3% of the participants had received treatment from drug store salespeople and local healers, whereas only 37.4% received treatment from qualified medical professionals [ 17 ]. Similar reports of men underutilizing formal health care services due to limited financial resources were found in other studies [ 14 – 16 , 18 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These include- lack of knowledge and awareness, stigmatization and negative attitudes that persist in society against STDs/STIs, limited financial resources, reluctance to disclose SRH concerns to sexual partners/wife, and lack of good quality services [ 14 – 16 ]. When care is sought, it is usually sought first from informal allopathic practitioners or traditional healers before moving on to formal healthcare services in private and public facilities [ 15 , 17 , 18 ]. While majority of the research and discussion on SRHR, especially in South Asian literature, reports men as the ‘problem,’ ‘risky’ or ‘background figure,’ there are some literature that aim to understand men’s behavior as a means to improve SRH.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Married men’s sexual and reproductive health concerns and related health-seeking behavior in Bangladesh: A mixed methods study

Azmi

Mahmud

Islam

et al. 2022

J Health Popul Nutr

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Background In Bangladesh, men’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs and related services are often neglected. Little is known of men’s SRH concerns, and of the phenomenal growth of the informal and private health actors in the provision of sexual health services to men in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. Methods Using a mixed methods approach, a survey of 311 married men in three rural and urban sites was conducted in three different districts of Bangladesh and 60 in-depth interviews were conducted to understand their SRH concerns and choice of providers to seek treatment. Results The research findings reveal that- men’s various SRH concerns are embedded in psychosocial and cultural concerns about their masculinity and expectations of themselves as sexual beings, with worries about performance, loss of semen and virility being dominant concerns. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were also mentioned as a concern but ranked much lower. Informal providers such as village doctors (rural medical practitioners and palli chikitsoks), drug store salespeople, homeopaths, traditional healers (Ojha/pir/fakir, kabiraj, totka) and street sellers of medicines are popular, accessible and dominate the supply chain. Conclusion There is a need of appropriate interventions to address men’s anxieties and worries about their sexual abilities, well-being and choice of providers. This would go a long way to address and alleviate concerns, as well as identify and push men to seek formal care for asymptomatic STIs, and thereby reduce costs incurred and gender tensions in households.

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“…According to the Directorate of Drug Administration, there are approximately 70,000 registered drug retailers in Bangladesh and an additional 30,000 without licenses [ 15 ]. A study conducted among informal health providers in rural Bangladesh reported that only half of the MSs working in drug stores had any kind of training, leaving the other half without any kind of training whatsoever [ 16 , 17 ]. Previous studies in Bangladesh and other developing countries reported that MSs had difficulties in recognizing STI symptoms, offered medications not recommended, seldom referred clients to qualified physicians, and were less likely to counsel patients for condom use or partner treatment [ 5 , 7 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicine Sellers for Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Effect of a Quasi-Experimental Training Intervention in Bangladesh

Alam

Fournier

2015

BioMed Research International

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This study used a quasi-experimental pre-post design to test whether short training can improve medicine sellers' (MSs) practices and skills for prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Bangladesh. The training included lectures, printed materials, and identification of referral sites. Difference-in-differences estimation was used to determine the effects of intervention on key primary and secondary outcomes. Advice given by the MSs in intervention group for partner treatment and condoms use increased significantly by 11% and 9%, respectively, after adjusting for baseline differences in education, religion, age, duration of training, and study site. Referral of clients to qualified service providers increased by 5% in the intervention group compared to the comparison group, but this change was not found to be statistically significant. Significantly higher proportion of MSs in the intervention group recognized the recommended medications as per the national syndromic management guidelines in Bangladesh for treatment of urethral discharge and genital ulcer symptoms. Short training intervention was found to be effective in improving MSs' practice of promoting condom use and partner treatment to the clients. We anticipate the need for broad based training programs of MSs to improve their skills for the prevention and control of STI/HIV in Bangladesh.

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Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Care-Seeking Behaviors of Male Clients of Female Sex Workers in Bangladesh

Abstract: Reported risk behaviors, STI symptoms and care-seeking behavior suggest that MCs are a potential risk group for transmission of HIV and STIs. The study findings underscore the need to target HIV/STI prevention intervention for MCs, which are predominantly geared toward FSWs.

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Sexual and reproductive health behaviors of female sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sexual and reproductive health behaviors of female sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Married men’s sexual and reproductive health concerns and related health-seeking behavior in Bangladesh: A mixed methods study

Medicine Sellers for Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Effect of a Quasi-Experimental Training Intervention in Bangladesh

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