Behavioural Surveillance Surveys - The Wisdom of Whores

Indicators
for female sex workers
Female Sex Worker Indicator 1
Knowledge of HIV prevention
methods
Definition
Numerator :
Number of respondents
identifying consistent condom
use as a method of reducing
the risk of contracting HIV,
in response to a prompted
question.
Denominator : Total number of respondents
surveyed.
Measurement tools
Female sex worker questionnaire
Q803
What it measures
This measures the proportion of sex workers
who know that consistent condom use is
an effective means of reducing the risk of
contracting HIV. It differs from knowledge
measures for the preceding groups because
it is limited to the only primary prevention
method relevant to sex workers.
How to measure it
The indicator is derived from the response
given to a prompted question about means of
reducing the risk of HIV transmission. Women
who answer affirmatively to the question are
included in the numerator. The denominator
is all respondents, regardless of whether they
have ever heard of AIDS or not.
It is expected that this indicator will be at
very high levels in most sex-worker populations.
However disaggregation by type of sex worker
may point to information gaps useful for
program planning. For example, unregistered
sex workers or immigrants may have lower
than average levels of knowledge.
As with all indicators of knowledge,
it should be borne in mind that knowledge
alone is no indication of the capacity to
exercise prevention skills.
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Chapter H A PTER 9 B EHAV I OR A L S U R V EI L L A NC E S U R V EY S