Abstract:
Background: Commercial sex plays an important role in the
spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa, especially in beginning
epidemics.
Goal: The goal was to study the sociodemographic charac-
teristics and sexual risk behavior of clients of female sex
workers (FSWs) in Nyanza province, Kenya.
Study Design: In the town of Kisumu and the rural districts
Siaya and Bondo, male clients of FSWs were identified in bars,
nightclubs, and lodges. An informal conversation was held
with 64 clients.
Results: The majority of clients were between 25 and 36
years old, were married, and had extramarital partners in
addition to FSWs. Most clients had visited several (3–5) dif-
ferent FSWs in the previous year, of whom at least 2 were in
long-term, steady client–FSW relationships. Clients visited
FSWs an average of once or twice a week. Most clients were
not consistently using condoms with FSWs; the main reason
given was that they “trusted” their steady FSWs.
Conclusion: Commercial sex in Nyanza frequently involves
multiple steady relationships instead of rapidly changing one-
time contacts. Information, education, and communication (IEC)
campaigns aimed at risk reduction in commercial sex should
promote condom use in steady FSW– client relationships.
