Health-seeking behaviour of women selling sex in Lahore, Pakistan

The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge and health-seeking behaviour related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and abortion among women selling sex in Lahore, Pakistan. This was a cross-sectional, community-based, quantitative study. A total of 730 women selling sex were recruited by respondent-driven sampling. A pretested structured questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews. The median age of the participants was 30 years. Thirteen percent of the participants said it was common for them to have an abnormal vaginal discharge. Seventy-five percent of the participants recognized STIs as either leucorrhoea or AIDS. Sixty-five percent of the participants complained of having suffered from STI(s) in the six months preceding the survey, of whom 28% sought treatment. Women selling sex who reported consistent condom use were 1.5 times (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 1.1-2.2) more likely to seek treatment than women who did not report consistent condom use. The level of knowledge about STIs remains low among women selling sex in Lahore, Pakistan, and health-seeking behaviour for the management of STIs and abortions is influenced by ability to pay and ease of access in the private sector.