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Condom Negotiation and Use Among Female Sex Workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Abstract

We examined condom-use negotiation strategies and condom use among 81 female sex workers (FSWs) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Percentages of FSWs who did not negotiate condom use or could not describe a negotiation strategy with native clients, foreign clients, and non-paying partners were 15.0, 29.0 and 67.6 %, respectively. The most common negotiation strategy used was “provision of risk information” for native clients (43.8 %) and non-paying partners (26.5 %), and “direct request” for foreign clients (39.5 %). About half could not describe more than one negotiation strategy. Consistent condom use was high with native clients (98.8 %), yet comparatively lower with foreign clients (86.9 %) and non-paying partners (26.5 %). FSWs who did not negotiate or did not know how to negotiate condom use were less likely to report condom use with non-paying regular partners. Future interventions should enhance condom negotiation strategies between FSWs and all partner types.

Resumen

Examinamos estrategias de negociación del uso del condón y uso del condón en 81 mujeres trabajadora sexual (MTS) en Phnom Penh, Cambodia. El porcentaje de MTS que no negociaron uso del condón o no pudieron describir una estrategia de negociación con clientes nativos, extranjeros, y compañeros que no pagaban fue 15.0, 29.0, y 67.6 % respectivamente. La estrategia mas común usada con clientes nativos (43.8) y con compañeros que no pagaban (36.5 %) fue “suministro de información sobre riesgos”; “petición directa” con clientes extranjeros (39.5 %). Casi la mitad de MTS no pudieron describir más de una estrategia de negociación. El uso consistente del condón fue alto entre clientes nativos (98.8 %); pero comparativamente bajo entre clientes extranjeros (86.9 %) y compañeros que no pagaban (26.5 %). MTS que no negociaron o que no supieron cómo negociar el uso del condón, fueron menos probables de reportar uso del condón entre compañeros que no pagaban. Intervenciones futuras deben mejorar las estrategias de negociación entre MTS y toda clase de compañeros.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the Fogarty International Center, US National Institutes of Health (AITRP D43 TW007669) and UTHealth Innovation for Cancer Prevention Research Post-doctoral Fellowship (CPRIT grant #RP101503) for funding this study and TCB’s postdoctoral training. We especially thank the staff at the Psycho-Social Service Association, Activities Social Welfare Office, Department of Social Affairs, Veteran & Youth Rehabilitation in Phnom Penh for their assistance with data collection. The content of the manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health—Fogarty International Center, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, or the Department of Social Affairs, Veteran & Youth Rehabilitation in Phnom Penh.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, UCT 2610C, Houston, 77030, TX, USA

    Thanh Cong Bui

  2. Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Ly T. H. Tran & R. Palmer Beasley

  3. Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, UCT 2616, Houston, 77030, TX, USA

    Christine M. Markham

  4. Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, UCT 2622, Houston, 77030, TX, USA

    Michael W. Ross

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  1. Thanh Cong Bui
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Correspondence to Thanh Cong Bui.

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Bui, T.C., Markham, C.M., Tran, L.T.H. et al. Condom Negotiation and Use Among Female Sex Workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. AIDS Behav 17, 612–622 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0369-9

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