Sexual Transmitted Disease Symptom and Health Care Utilization

Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are often high among members of society's least powerful groups such as Female commercial sex workers who have low utilization of health care services. Four hundred twenty eight female sex workers aged between 15 and 49 years were selected by cluster sampling method from three areas in Gondar town. Data collection was made using a pre-tested questionnaire which consisted socio demography characteristics of the respondents, current as well as the past one year experience of 3 sexual transmitted disease symptoms. Of 428 Female Commercial Sex Workers interviewed, 123 (28.7%, n=428) subjects had history of at least one STD symptom during the 12-month prior to the interview. More than half 53(56.4%) and 45(60.8%) of the study subjects were sought treatment from self care for abnormal vaginal discharge and dysuria symptoms respectively. The occurrence of sexual transmitted disease symptoms among the respondents is likely indicative of the existence of high prevalence of sexual transmitted diseases among FCSWs. Self care treatments are looked upon as the resources most readily available to the FCSWs with sexual transmitted diseases symptoms.