Risk behaviors and incidence of sexually transmitted infections among sex workers in Kalibo, Aklan

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the incidence of STI in terms of presence of signs and symptoms and its relationship with the selected personal and work- related risk behaviors among sex workers in Kalibo, Aklan. This is a study descriptive and correlational study which employed the one-shot survey design. The respondents of the study were the sex workers who report for a weekly check-up at the Hygiene Clinic of the DRSTMH, Kalibo, Aklan. As per latest medical records, there are 70 sex workers regularly reporting at the Hygiene Clinic of DRSTMH since December, 2008 to January, 2009. All of them constituted as the respondents of the study. The data were processed subjected to statistical treatment using SPSS. To determine the respondents’ personal characteristics, the percentage and frequency distribution tables were used. To determine the relationship among the variables, chi-square was used and to determine the variation, Z-test and other appropriate statistical tools were utilized.

Major Findings of the Study Based on the research objectives, the following are the salient findings of the study:

Majority of the respondents were 19 years old and above, had residences within Kalibo area and were high school graduates. Most of them work in massage clinics and had their first sexual experience at age 16 year old and below. On average, the respondents were 23 years old. All of the respondents were drug users. Majority of them were taking alcohol. More than one-third had pierced parts in their body while 27.1 percent of the respondents had parts of their bodies tattooed. Of the oral drugs, pot was rated as the most popular drugs used by respondents and crank as the least popular. As for the drugs administered through injection or inhalation, 10 percent of the respondents used speed while only 2.9 percent utilized heroine. All of the respondents claimed that they normally do vaginal sex. Majority of them also indulged in mutual masturbation, solo masturbation and anal sex. Most of them utilized phone or computer sex over sex toys. Majority of the sex workers who engaged in either vaginal and anal sexual intercourse used condom as a major means of protection against STIs. Of the 70 sex workers there were more who were not infected with STDs as compared to those who were contracted the disease. Among the STIs, herpes was experienced by all sex workers and majority of them were also infected by genital yeast infections and syphilis. The two age groups do not significant vary in terms of their alcohol intake, use of drugs, engagement in body piercing, body tattoo and risky sexual practices whether high or low risk. There is a significant difference between those who reside within Kalibo and those outside Kalibo in terms of alcohol intake, however, no significant difference was noted in regard to their engagement in body piercing, body tattoo and taking risky sexual practices. The result showed a significant variation between the high school graduates and the high school undergraduate in their alcohol intake, significantly differ on their engagement in body piercing and engagement with risky sexual behaviors. The findings revealed significant variations between those who worked in videoke bar and those in massage clinic with regard to their alcohol intake but no significant variation was noted in their engagement with body piercing and risky sexual practices. A significant difference between those who had their first sexual experience was seen in terms of their engagement in body piercing and body tattoo. The top four STIs commonly experienced by the respondents across their personal and work related characteristics categories were as follows herpes, genital yeast infections, syphilis and gonorrhea. The result showed that personal characteristics in terms of age, residence and educational attainment were not significantly related with the degree of risk behaviors of sex workers. Age, educational attainment and area of work were the significant personal and work related factors that could contribute to the incidence of STIs.