Sexual Practices of Female Sex Workers in Ibadan, Nigeria

Female Sex Workers (FSWs) are highly at risk to sexually transmitted infection considering the factors associated with the nature of their work (multiple sex partners, violence, and drug use). Some of the contributing factors to HIV problem in Oyo state include promiscuity and multiple sexual partners which is related to sex worker’s working condition. This study assessed sexual practices of female sex workers in Ibadan, Nigeria.

This cross-sectional study used a three-stage sampling method to select 205 female sex workers in Ibadan. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire to explore respondents’ sexual practices. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test.

The mean age was 27.0 ±4.52 years. A majority (44.4%) of the respondents had secondary school certificate, 70.7% were Christians while 5.9% were currently married. Few 1.5% of the respondents had never used condom, 37.6% of respondents had sometimes used condom and 42.0% reported using condom most of the time. Many (47.3%) of the respondents sometimes drink alcoholic beverages prior to or during sexual intercourse, 6.3% use cocaine or another drug prior to or during intercourse most of the times and only 15.6% always avoid sexual intercourse when they have sores or irritation in their genitals.

Consistency in condom use should be encouraged among female sex workers and interventions targeted at reducing alcohol intake should be planned and implemented.