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30 November 2006 Study Finds High-Risk Sexual Behaviors
In year 2006, the Centre conducted a random telephone survey and successfully interviewed 1,327 males aged 18 to 60. Of all respondents, 159 (i.e. 12%) reported having visited female sex workers in the last 6 months. Among these 159 male clients of sex workers, 72% reported having used condoms every time when having sex with sex workers in the last 6 months. However, of these 159 males, 19% reported having used condoms after penetration has occurred and 13% experienced condom breakage or slippage when having sex with sex workers. Overall, among these male clients of sex workers, prevalence of unsafe sex (including not using condoms every time, using condoms after penetration occurs, condom breakage/slippage) was as high as 43% in the last 6 months. Professor Lau pointed out that the risk for HIV infection among these male clients would be very high if their sex partners (sex workers) had already been infected with HIV. Another study carried out in a Shenzhen red-light district also successfully interviewed 173 female sex workers there who had been serving Hong Kong males in the last 6 months. Findings of this study corroborate the aforementioned results obtained from Hong Kong male clients and showed that prevalence of condom removal (by the client) during sex, condom use after penetration occurred, and condom breakage/slippage when having sex with their clients in the last month were respectively 29%, 11%, and 45%. Among all respondents, the prevalence of experiencing at least one of these 3 conditions was around 56%. In other words, these Hong Kong male clients are facing a much higher risk for HIV infection than expected. Of the sex workers respondents, 8% reported having contracted a sexually transmitted disease in the last month. Professor Lau reminds Hong Kong men who practice commercial sex behaviors that the number of sexually transmitted HIV infection cases is increasing rapidly in mainland China. Other research findings revealed that the HIV prevalence among female sex workers in some places in Guangdong might be as high as 2%. The aforementioned unsafe condom use behaviors are common among males. Whether intentionally or not, it is self-deceiving to assume that these improper condom use behaviors could effectively protect oneself from contracting HIV. These are high risk unsafe sex behaviors. As a result, Hong Kong males are warranted to pay attention to the quality of condoms they are using and to bring along with them good quality condoms. Many of the condoms being sold in mainland China might be of low quality, and this becomes a hurdle for effective HIV prevention work. HIV prevention workers in Hong Kong are urged to work with the mainland counterparts to promote proper condom use among female sex workers. Hong Kong HIV workers also need to step up their prevention services for male clients of sex workers and female sex workers in the mainland China, including Shenzhen. This includes proper use of condom.
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