Narrowing sexual behavioural differences between Chinese and non-Chinese populations in Hong Kong: Implications for sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission

Abstract

Information on sexual networking between different ethnic groups, in particular between Chinese and non-Chinese, is scarce. This study compared patterns of sexual behaviour and determinants of unsafe sexual behaviours amongst the Chinese and non-Chinese residents of Hong Kong. Of the 2,060 respondents (2060/4157; 50% response rate), 73% identified themselves as being ethnic Chinese. Overall, having a non-regular partner was more common amongst the non-Chinese (36%) than the Chinese (17%) respondents. Chinese people who were at increased risk of having had sex with a non-regular partner included social hygiene clinic attendees and airport travellers, males and ever smokers. For non-Chinese this was inconsistent condom use and being aged 18-45. Predictors of inconsistent condom use for Chinese included being aged 18-45, never having been married, and having had sex with non-regular partners; for non-Chinese the predictors were being aged 18-45, having had sex with non-regular partners and being unafraid of AIDS. We conclude that there are similarities and differences in sexual risk-taking behaviours between Chinese and non-Chinese residents in Hong Kong. To maximize potential public health benefits, behavioural interventions should be designed to address the different risk profiles of Chinese and non-Chinese populations separately.

Condom Use and Stages of Change Among College Students in Taiwan

“…Participants in A/M were more likely to be more religious than those in C/P. This result is similar to a study from Hong Kong that inconsistent condom use was also associated with Chinese people without a religion (Abdullah, Fielding, & Ebrahim, 2006). The authors of that study mentioned the importance of social networks to health behaviors (although not with explicit links to the religion variable), and indeed, the religious respondents may have access to additional healthy social networks.…”

Consistent condom use with regular, paying, and casual male partners and associated factors among men who have sex with men in Tamil Nadu, India: findings from an assessment of a large-scale HIV prevention program

“…Alternatively, it could be due to ‘prevention fatigue’ among older MSM [46,47], which would warrant different strategies to maintain safer sex behaviors to prevent them from relapsing into unsafe sex. Similar finding has been reported in studies from other developing countries like Bangkok [48], Africa [49] and China [50] where the older MSM were less likely to use condoms consistently, even though studies from developed countries have often reported younger MSM to engage in high risk behaviors [46,51]. …”

Gender differences in condom use prediction with Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour: The role of self-efficacy and control

“…The second point is related to the perception of control in situations of risk such as the consumption of alcohol. This variable is closely associated to the non-use of the condom (see, e.g., Abdullah et al, 2006). This circumstance is particularly worrying in certain groups, such as young women, in which the perception of control of behaviour of condom use having consumed alcohol or other drugs is very high.…”