Two percent FSWs had said that they had never used a condom with one-time clients during the previous 12 months. This proportion was less than the reported non-use of condoms with regular partners, which was 8%.
Number of clients on last working day
About 84% sex workers reported having between 1 and 3 one-time clients on the last working day before the survey. Only two percent of them said that they had six different partners on the same day. A total of 73% FSWs had also said that they had between 1 and 3 regular clients on the last working day. More than 25% respondents reported that they did not have sex with a regular client on the last working day.
Knowledge indicators
Almost all sex workers (98%) were aware that condom use could prevent HIV infection. A total of 88% of them had said that consistent condom use could prevent STIs, thus indicating that the knowledge about condoms use to prevent HIV infection was greater than the knowledge of condoms for preventing STIs (Figure 4). About 30% FSWs had said that avoiding sex with a person with STIs would prevent them from acquiring the disease.
A significantly lower proportion was aware of two other methods for preventing HIV infection – avoiding injections with contaminated needles (35%) and using screened blood for transfusion (34%).
Male population sub groups
Key demographics
Mean age of male sub-population groups
The mean age of clients of sex workers was 31.3 and that of auto rickshaw drivers was 31.4 years. The mean age of plantation workers was higher at 34.4 years. The mean age of male university students was 20.8 years.
Educational status
Only 2% clients of sex workers and plantation workers were reported to be illiterate. One percent clients of sex workers and auto rickshaw drivers each, and three percent plantation workers said that though they were literate, they did not have formal education (Figure 5).
Higher levels of education were reported among the male clients and auto rickshaw drivers than the plantation workers. 48% clients and 43% auto rickshaw drivers were reported to have studied at least up to Class X while only 23% of the plantation workers had studied up to the same level.
