Table 1.
Demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and health characteristics of FSWs in the Brazilian state of Pará, from January 2005 to August 2007, related to exposure to T. pallidum.
| Characteristics | Total (n = 360) |
No Exposure (n = 224) |
With Exposure * (n = 136) |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | n (%) | n (%) | ||
| Age groups (years) | <0.01 | |||
| 15–22 | 112 | 86 (76.8) | 26 (23.2) | |
| 23–42 | 220 | 131 (59.5) | 89 (40.5) | |
| >42 | 28 | 7 (25.0) | 21 (75.0) | |
| Marital status | 0.09 | |||
| Single | 257 | 153 (59.5) | 104 (40.5) | |
| Married | 56 | 35 (62.5) | 21 (37.5) | |
| Widow/divorced | 47 | 36 (76.6) | 11 (23.4) | |
| Education level | 0.02 | |||
| <8 years of study | 261 | 153 (58.6) | 108 (41.4) | |
| >8 years of study | 99 | 71 (71.7) | 28 (28.3) | |
| Family income (in minimum wage) | 0.07 | |||
| Less than 1 | 131 | 89 (67.9) | 42 (32.1) | |
| From 1 to 3 | 200 | 114 (57.0) | 86 (43.0) | |
| More than 3 | 29 | 21 (72.4) | 8 (27.6) | |
| Condom use | 0.27 | |||
| Yes | 201 | 120 (59.7) | 81 (40.3) | |
| No | 159 | 104 (65.4) | 55 (34.6) | |
| STI # history | 0.06 | |||
| Yes | 79 | 42 (53.2) | 37 (46.8) | |
| No | 281 | 182 (64.8) | 99 (35.2) | |
| Use of illicit drugs | 0.13 | |||
| Yes | 186 | 126 (67.7) | 60 (32.3) | |
| No | 174 | 98 (56.3) | 76 (43.7) | |
| Number of partners (monthly) | 0.45 | |||
| <20 | 164 | 106 (64.6) | 58 (35.4) | |
| ≥20 | 196 | 118 (60.2) | 78 (39.8) | |
| Partners from other states of Brazil | 0.19 | |||
| Yes | 209 | 124 (59.3) | 85 (40.7) | |
| No | 85 | 60 (70.6) | 25 (29.4) | |
| Do not know | 66 | 40 (60.6) | 26 (39.4) | |
| Partners from other countries | 0.83 | |||
| Yes | 158 | 97 (61.4) | 61 (38.6) | |
| No | 202 | 127 (62.9) | 75 (37.1) |
* Treponemal test positive (ELISA) = exposure to T. pallidum. # STI = sexually transmitted infection.