Factors associated with induced abortion in women prostitutes in Asturias (Spain).

BACKGROUND: The aim is to investigate the factors that might be associated with the presence of induced abortion (IA) in women prostitutes in Asturias (Spain). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cross-sectional descriptive study by self-completion questionnaire of 212 women prostitutes who attended the three Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics in Asturias, between January-December 2003. The questionnaire was designed to investigate the women's perceived knowledge (what they claimed to know), their real knowledge (what they really knew), the use of contraceptive methods and socio-demographic variables. Multivariate analysis was carried out. 92% of the participants were immigrants. 76% were practising at brothel. 37.6% (95%CI:30.7-44.4%) reported to have undergone at least one IA during their life. According to the logistic regression the "presence of IA" was directly associated with the variables "number of pregnancies" (OR:65.82;95%IC:7.73-560.14) and "years of practising prostitution" (OR:1.13;95%CI:0.99-1.29); and inversely associated with "children" (0 = no children;1 = one or more children; OR:0.005;95%CI:0.000-0.057), "women's age" (OR:0.89;95%CI:0.82-0.97) and "real contraceptive knowledge" (OR:0.50; 95%CI:0.34-0.75). Married women were more likely to have undergone an IA (OR:2.74;95%IC:1.05-7.13). No association with "perceived contraceptive knowledge" was found. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The characteristics more closely linked to the reproductive history of the women (such as "pregnancies", "children"), together with the "real contraceptive knowledge" and the "time practising prostitution" explain the presence of IA better than factors more closely linked to the conditions in which the women practise prostitution ("place of activity", "other activities compatible with prostitution", "use of safe method in commercial relation"). It is possible that IA is being used as a birth control method, hypothesis suggested by the inverse association observed between the variable "children" and the "presence of IA". Therefore, the promotion of the use of safe contraceptive methods should be a high-priority. If the real contraceptive knowledge was measured correctly, all strategies to increase it would be justified because it was inversely associated with the presence of IA.

[Knowledge and use of contraceptive methods in female sex workers in Asturias [Spain]]. / Conocimiento y uso de métodos anticonceptivos en mujeres que ejercen la prostitución en Asturias.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the knowledge and use of contraceptive methods among female sex workers in Asturias (Spain). METHODS: We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study of 212 female sex workers by means of a self-completed questionnaire. RESULTS: 61.2% of the women claimed to have sufficient information about contraceptive methods, although the real knowledge measured was much lower. Effective contraception was not used by 2.4% of the women in their last commercial relationship and by 20.4% in their private relationships. The most commonly employed method was the condom, but only 52.2% of the women who had used one in their previous commercial relationships did so together with another effective method. In the event of breakage, 40% of women did not have an attitude that would be effective in avoiding pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge about contraceptive methods among these women is lower than might be expected from their occupation. The use of another effective method together with the condom is insufficient to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Many of the women do not have an attitude that would be effective in avoiding pregnancy in the event of condom breakage.

Conocimiento y uso de métodos anticonceptivos en mujeres que ejercen la prostitución en Asturias / Knowledge and use of contraceptive methods in female sex workers in Asturias [Spain]

Objetivo: Describir el conocimiento de los métodos contraceptivos y el uso que hacen de ellos las mujeres que ejercen la prostitución en Asturias. Métodos: Estudio transversal mediante cuestionario autoadministrado a 212 mujeres. Resultados: El 61,2% refería tener información suficiente sobre métodos contraceptivos, aunque el conocimiento real es menor. En su última relación comercial en un 2,4% no tuvo una actitud eficaz para prevenir el embarazo y en la última privada, el 20,4%. El método más usado fue el preservativo y el 52,2% de quienes lo usaron en la última relación comercial añadieron otro método eficaz. En caso de rotura, el 40% de las encuestadas no tuvo una actitud eficaz para evitar el embarazo. Conclusiones: El conocimiento contraceptivo en estas mujeres es menor del que cabría esperar por la actividad que realizan. El uso de otro método eficaz asociado al preservativo es escaso para evitar embarazos no deseados. Muchas mujeres no tienen una actitud eficaz para evitarlos en caso de rotura del preservativo

Objective: To describe the knowledge and use of contraceptive methods among female sex workers in Asturias (Spain). Methods: We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study of 212 female sex workers by means of a self-completed questionnaire. Results: 61.2% of the women claimed to have sufficient information about contraceptive methods, although the real knowledge measured was much lower. Effective contraception was not used by 2.4% of the women in their last commercial relationship and by 20.4% in their private relationships. The most commonly employed method was the condom, but only 52.2% of the women who had used one in their previous commercial relationships did so together with another effective method. In the event of breakage, 40% of women did not have an attitude that would be effective in avoiding pregnancy. Conclusions: Knowledge about contraceptive methods among these women is lower than might be expected from their occupation. The use of another effective method together with the condom is insufficient to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Many of the women do not have an attitude that would be effective in avoiding pregnancy in the event of condom breakage