• Original article (Preventive medicine) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Relationship between means to obtain knowledge of HIV/AIDS and demographic characteristics among female sex workers based on association rules

XIAO Shao-jun1, WANG Run-hua1, ZHONG Xiao-ni1, TIAN Kao-cong1, FU Guang-jian1, ZHANG Yan1, PENG Bin1, HUANG Ai-long2   

  1. 1.Department of Health Statistics and Information Management, College of Public Health and Management; 2.Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases of Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
  • Online:2013-10-28 Published:2013-10-31
  • Supported by:

    National Major Science and Technology Program,2008ZXl0001-016

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics and means to obtain knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among female sex workers (FSWs). Methods The association rules between means to obtain knowledge and demographic characteristics among FSWs were explored by Apriori algorithm. Rules were pruned by establishing the minimum support and confidence, improving the lift and confidence, and adding Chi-square test. Results The main means for FSWs to obtain knowledge of HIV/AIDS were television (69.18%), publicity materials (47.61%), doctors (39.87%), newspapers (33.18%) and internet (27.54%). After screening, 12 rules were acquired on the association between the demographic characteristics and television, internet, newspapers, doctors and publicity materials. For instance, married FSWs of urban household with medium income tended to obtain knowledge by the means of television (support, 3.80%; confidence, 85.29%). Conclusion FSWs with different demographic characteristics vary in means to obtain knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Choosing appropriate health education methods for FSWs based on demographic characteristics may play an important role in disseminating knowledge of HIV/AIDS and improving the efficiency of health education.

Key words: female sex workers, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, health education, means, association rules