Male Rural-to-Urban Migrants and Risky Sexual Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 2846 - 2864
• Main Authors: Wu, Jun-Qing, Wang, Ke-Wei, Zhao, Rui, Li, Yu-Yan, Zhou, Ying, Li, Yi-Ran, Ji, Hong-Lei, Ji, Ming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.03.2014; MDPI
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; China; Cities - statistics & numerical data; Condoms - utilization; Cross-Sectional Studies; Erotica; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Males; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Noncitizens; Peer Group; Risk-Taking; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Studies; Transients and Migrants - psychology; Transients and Migrants - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; China; Shanghai China; China, People's Rep., Shanghai; China, People's Rep
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110302846

This study examined the prevalence and the determinants of risky sexual behavior (defined as having multiple sex partners and paying for sex) among male rural-to-urban migrants in China. An anonymous questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior associated with increased risk of risky sexual behavior from 4,069 subjects. In total 1,132 (27.8%) participants reported two or more sex partners and 802 (19.7%) participants paid for sex. A considerable proportion (29.6%–41.5%) did not use a condom during risky sexual behavior. Logistic regression analysis revealed that unmarried status (OR: 0.62, CI: 0.42–0.85 for married), earlier age at first sexual experience (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.31–0.91 for ≥22 years old), poor perception of risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.33–1.96 for unlikely; OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.61–3.70 for impossible), frequent exposure to pornography (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.60–0.81 for sometimes; OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11–0.43 for never), attitudes toward legalization of commercial sex (OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.21–0.59 for no), peer influence (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27–0.88 for no), and not knowing someone who had/had died from HIV/AIDS (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20–0.53 for yes) were all significantly associated with having multiple sex partners. Those who paid for sex showed similar findings.