Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevalence and Characteristics of Market Vendors in Eastern China

Background and Objectives: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have soared in China. To address the impact, we studied market stall vendors in eastern China. Goal: The goal was to determine STD prevalence and predictors. Study Design: A total of 1536 randomly selected market stall vendors were interviewed and tested for STDs. Results: The prevalence of any STD was 20.1% among those reporting sexual intercourse and 5.5% among those reporting never having sexual intercourse. Among those reporting sexual intercourse, chlamydia was most common (9.4%), followed by herpes (9.3%). A total of 4.5% of those reporting never having sexual intercourse had herpes infection, but none had chlamydia. Prevalence of all STDs was higher among females, and those with low education and multiple partners. The pharmacy was the major source of health care (48.8%). Conclusion: Generalizing from the results, targeting only STD clinic patients and persons reporting multiple partners for intervention will exclude a high proportion of those with STDs. More effective, less stigmatized sources of STD treatment should be developed. IN THE LAST DECADE sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have risen rapidly in China. 1– 8 This increase has been concurrent with the shift to a market economy and changing attitudes toward sexual behavior. 9 The increase in STD rates portends badly for the rapid spread of HIV in China as well; persons with current or past STDs are 2–9 times more likely to be infected with or to transmit HIV than those without disease. 10 Because of the disastrous im