KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND ACTIVITIES OF MALE CLIENTS OF FEMALE SEX WORKERS - RISK-FACTORS FOR HIV

Aims. To examine HIV related knowledge, attitudes and practices amongs t male clients of female sex workers in New Zealand. Methods. A sample of 30 clients were contacted in the commercial sex areas of the three main urban centres. A brief structured interview was undertaken by a fully trained interviewer who was herself a sex worker. Results. The r espondents were aged between 20 and 60 and came from a range of occupa tions. A third of them were married. Most visited sex workers quite fr equently and vaginal sex was the most common service purchased. Condom s were consistently used with sex workers whereas they were less commo nly used with casual partners and almost never used with regular partn ers. Clients rarely carried condoms and took a passive role in their u se with sex workers. Knowledge about HIV transmission was high but per ception of HIV risk or fear of infection were low. Many of the respond ents travelled both within and outside New Zealand and most used comme rcial sex services on their travels. Conclusions. The findings suggest that clients may be a source of HIV infection to both sex workers and their other sex partners. More detailed research is necessary to expl ore clients' perceptions of HIV risk and the barriers to their wider u se of condoms.