Sex workers clients in Italy: results of a phone survey on hiv risk behaviour and perception

• Published in: Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 363 - 368
• Main Authors: MULIERI, Ilaria, SANTI, Flavia, COLUCCI, Anna, FANALES-BELASIO, Emanuele, GALLO, Pietro, LUZI, Anna Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Roma Istituto superiore di sanita 01-01-2014; Istituto Superiore di Sanità
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; AIDS Serodiagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; clients of sex workers; commercial sex; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; General aspects; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Surveys; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - transmission; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; risk perception; Risk-Taking; Sex Workers - statistics & numerical data; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; survey HIV; Telephone; Unsafe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Young Adult; Italy; Europe; Human; Immunopathology; Social perception; commercial sex; Retroviridae; AIDS; Risk taking; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Result; Infection; Virus; Medicine; Prostitution; Survey; survey HIV; Surveillance; HIV; clients of sex workers; Viral disease; Behavior; Human immunodeficiency virus; risk perception
• ISSN: 0021-2571; 2384-8553
• DOI: 10.4415/ANN_14_04_12

Sex workers (SW) clients represent a bridge population for HIV transmission from high risk to low risk general population.
A cross-sectional anonymous telephone survey was carried out at the AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Helpline of National Institute of Health in Italy. The questionnaire was proposed on a voluntary basis to a sample of 119 subjects from helpline users.
The 119 participants were all males, aged between 19 and 59 years and mostly accessed female prostitutes. Vaginal intercourses with SW were more frequently reported, followed by passive oral, active oral sex and active anal intercourses. Cumulatively, 86.6% and 84.6% of vaginal and anal intercourses were respectively reported as regularly protected by condom.
The telephone interview allowed an eased access, a high response rate and a standardised evaluation of questions.
It is necessary a constant monitoring of the characteristics, behaviour, risk perception and testing of SW clients in Italian and other populations.