Microbicide Acceptability and Associated Factors Among Female Sex Workers and Male Clients in Kaiyuan County, Yunnan Province, China

Objectives: To determine microbicide acceptability and associated factors among female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients in Yunnan, China. Methods: Kaiyuan County, with high rates of HIV in FSWs, in Yunnan Province was chosen as the study site. Establishments were selected using stratified sampling, and FSWs were recruited using random sampling. Male clients of FSWs were also recruited. In-depth interviews and anonymous questionnaires were used to collect data. An acceptance rate was calculated for each individual variable, and factors associated with acceptability were assessed using multivariate analysis. Results: Four hundred FSWs and 200 male clients were recruited. Microbicides were acceptable if they prevented HIV transmission effectively and safely, were lubricating, effective up to 24 hours, and <10 China Yuan (CNY) (US $1.50) per use. Eighty-one percent of participants indicated future intention to use microbicides. Factors associated with potential microbicide use included age, establishment stratum, price, perception of risk behavior, and knowledge of AIDS/sexually transmitted infections. Conclusions: The acceptablitiy of microbmicides is high among FSWs and their clients. Development of effective and affordable microbicides has great potential for controlling sexual transmission of the HIV epidemic in China.