Perceived risk of HIV, motives for buying sex and type of sex practice preferred among clients of female sex workers at brothels found in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Clients of sex workers are usually men who pay with cash or other resources for sexual services either explicitly or within an agreed package. HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs) in Dar es Salaam is higher (31.4%) than the estimated rate of infection among FSWs in Tanzania which stands at 26.6%. It is estimated that at least 15,000 male clients visit female sex workers for sex in Dar es Salaam every night. The city has about 7,500 FSWs, and it is reported that only 40% of them use condom. Objective: The main objectives of this study was to assess the perceived risk of HIV, motives of buying sex and the type of sex practices preferred among clients of brothel-based female sex workers in Dar es Salaam. Methodology: Cross sectional descriptive study designs were used to generate data from clients of sex workers in the city. Results: A total of 225 clients of brothel sex workers participated in the study. Their age ranged from 14to 70 years. Reported motives for buying sex include lack of sexual satisfaction with permanent partners (35.7%) which was found to be the most common reason while vaginal sex was type of sex preferred by the most clients (92%) and three out of five study participants (61.3%) did not perceive to be at any risk of contracting the HIV infection. Conclusion & Recommendations Client of female sex workers in the brothels are motivated to buy sex due to dissatisfaction of sexual pleasure with their permanent partners for 35.7% while most of them at the first day of sex prefer virginal sex 92% and the rest anal. The majority of the clients are not perceive themselves on the risk of HIV for 61.3% Low comprehensive knowledge of HIV coupled with low exposure to HIV prevention services will continue to inhibit appropriate HIV risk assessment among clients of FSWs and thus limit the reduction of sexual risk behaviour among them. Increasing the level of consistent and correct condom use both in clients and FSWs in the brothels is an urgent HIV prevention need in order to mitigate HIV transmission within the general population. Further research is needed to evaluate risk perception of clients of FSWs in different contexts.