Table 2.
Socio-demographic and sex work characteristics of FSWs in Maharashtra in Rounds 1 and 2 of IBBAs
| Characteristic | Categories | Round 1 % (n=2525) |
Round 2 % (n=2525) |
P value (Wald-Pearson test) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current age (years) | < 25 | 20.9 | 23.0 | 0.602 |
| 25-29 | 28.4 | 26.2 | ||
| 30-34 | 22.1 | 20.8 | ||
| 35-39 | 12.9 | 14.9 | ||
| 40+ | 15.8 | 15.1 | ||
| Mean | 30.6 | 29.9 | ||
| Literacy | Illiterate | 75.6 | 74.3 | 0.572 |
| Marital status | Ever married | 79.2 | 81.4 | 0.358 |
| Never married | 20.8 | 18.6 | ||
| Additional Income | Yes | 6.6 | 7.6 | 0.450 |
| Residency | Local dweller | 98.1 | 92.6 | 0.000 |
| Age at first sex (years) | < 15 | 48.8 | 46.4 | 0.365 |
| 15+ | 51.2 | 53.6 | ||
| Mean | 16.85 | 17.51 | ||
| Age started sex work (years) | <20 | 31.9 | 27.8 | 0.011 |
| 20-24 | 34.6 | 34.9 | ||
| 25-29 | 21.2 | 19.2 | ||
| 30+ | 12.2 | 18.2 | ||
| Mean | 22.65 | 23.77 | ||
| Duration sex work (years) | 0-1 | 18.0 | 18.8 | 0.438 |
| 2-4 | 17.8 | 21.0 | ||
| 4-9 | 32.6 | 31.5 | ||
| 10+ | 31.6 | 28.8 | ||
| Mean | 7.41 | 6.22 | ||
| Usual place of solicitation | Non street based | 68.9 | 69.3 | 0.909 |
| Street based | 31.1 | 30.7 | ||
| Usual place of entertaining clients | Home | 26.7 | 33.0 | 0.043 |
| Brothel/lodge/dabha* | 72.5 | 66.6 | ||
| Public places | 0.9 | 0.3 | ||
| Commercial clients per week | 0-4 | 18.7 | 14.8 | 0.065 |
| 5-9 | 33.7 | 31.8 | ||
| 10+ | 47.6 | 53.4 | ||
| Mean | 11.89 | 16.73 | ||
| Has regular partner | Yes | 31.4 | 49.5 | 0.000 |
| Source of obtaining condom | Peer educator/out reach worker/NGO | 49.9 | 62.3 | 0.000 |
| Other source | 50.1 | 37.7 | ||
| Frequency of peer contacts in a month | None | 9.1 | 5.8 | 0.001 |
| 1-2 times | 17.2 | 27.4 | ||
| 3-4 times | 73.7 | 66.8 | ||
| Mean | 1.6 | 1.6 | ||
*Dabha – road-side restaurants on highways are commonly referred to as dabha and often serve as halt points for trucks.