Consistent condom use
The reported consistent condom use during the preceding year by all the groups was considerably lower than the reported condom use during their last sexual intercourse.
The pattern for consistent condom use was similar to the pattern reported on condom use during last sexual intercourse. The group that had highest proportion of reported consistent condom use with female sex worker during the last year was male auto rickshaw drivers (55%) followed by male clients (48%) and male university students (43%) (Figure 11).
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The reported consistent condom was lowest among male plantation workers (26%). Just as in the previous section, consistent condom use with non-regular partners was lower than that with female sex workers.
Knowledge indicators
Knowledge of methods to prevent transmission of HIV A total of 90% male clients said that condom use could prevent HIV infection. However, knowledge about the role of mutual monogamy and abstinence for prevention of HIV infection was low. For example, 72% and 58% auto rickshaw drivers had said that condom use and being in a mutually faithful relationship respectively could prevent HIV infection. On the other hand, 85% plantation workers had said that mutual monogamy prevented HIV as compared to 55% of them who had listed condom use a way to prevent HIV infection (Table 3).
Table 3: Knowledge of methods to prevent transmission of HIV
|
Response |
Sub-groups |
|
(Figures in %) |
MC |
|
MARD |
|
MPW |
|
MUS |
|
Use condoms |
90 |
|
72 |
|
55 |
|
91 |
|
Mutual monogamy between HIV negative partners |
34 |
|
58 |
|
85 |
|
82 |
|
No sex at all |
4 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
25 |
Ninety one percent male university students were aware that consistent use of condoms prevented HIV infection. Although only 16% of them had reported ever having had sexual contact, 25% students has listed abstinence a way to prevent HIV infection.
STI Knowledge – that consistent condom use can prevent STIs
Just as with knowledge about HIV prevention, the knowledge that condom use could prevent STI was highest among students (91%) and male clients (85%). Sixty seven percent auto rickshaw drivers and less than half the plantation workers had the same knowledge (Figure 12). A total of 60% plantation workers and 39% auto rickshaw drivers said that a mutually faithful relationship prevented STIs. This number of was higher than that of the response for condom use as a method to prevent STIs.
Other findings
Age at first sexual intercourse
The mean age at first sexual intercourse ranged from 18 among FSWs to 21 among clients of FSWs. It was 23, 24 and 17 years for plantation workers, auto rickshaw drivers and university students respectively. About 5% female sex workers had said that their age at first sexual intercourse was below 15 years. A total of 76% of them, however, reported that their age at first sexual intercourse was between 15-20 years (Figure 13).
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