Table 1 Characteristics of sexual minority women at baseline in Beijing, China.
From: Sexually transmitted infections and associated risk factors among sexual minority women in China
Characteristic | No. (%) of SMW (N = 219) | No. (%) of WSW/M in the past yeara (N = 34) | No. (%) of WSW exclusive in the past yearb (N = 185) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographics | ||||
Age (years) | ||||
Median (IQR) | 27 (24–32) | 27 (24–29) | 27 (24–32) | |
20–29 | 142 (64.8) | 26 (76.5) | 116 (62.7) | 0.313 |
30–39 | 63 (28.8) | 7 (20.6) | 56 (30.3) | 0.663 |
40–57 | 14 (6.4) | 1 (2.9) | 13 (7.0) | |
Ethnicity | ||||
Han Chinese | 198 (90.4) | 32 (94.1) | 166 (89.7) | 0.543* |
Other | 21 (9.6) | 2 (5.9) | 19 (10.3) | |
Beijing local residence | ||||
Yes | 77 (35.2) | 11 (32.4) | 66 (35.7) | 0.709 |
No | 142 (64.8) | 23 (67.6) | 119 (64.3) | |
Education | ||||
Junior high school or below | 1 (0.5) | 0 (-) | 1 (0.5) | 1.000 |
Senior high school | 8 (3.7) | 0 (-) | 8 (4.3) | 1.000 |
Undergraduate | 155 (70.8) | 26 (76.5) | 129 (69.7) | 0.700 |
Graduate or above | 55 (25.1) | 8 (23.5) | 47 (25.4) | |
Marital status | ||||
Unmarried, living alone or with parents | 141 (64.4) | 25 (73.5) | 116 (62.7) | 0.499 |
Married (non-contract) | 3 (1.4) | 3 (8.8) | 0 (0) | 0.999 |
Married (contract) | 3 (1.4) | 0 (0) | 3 (8.8) | 0.999 |
Unmarried, living with a female sex partner | 67 (30.6) | 3 (8.8) | 64 (34.6) | 0.082 |
Unmarried, living with a male sex partner | 2 (0.9) | 2 (5.9) | 0 (0) | 0.999 |
Divorced, or widowed | 3 (1.4) | 1 (2.9) | 2 (1.1) | |
Employment status | ||||
Student | 68 (31.1) | 14 (41.2) | 54 (29.2) | 0.693 |
Employed full-time | 119 (54.3) | 11 (32.4) | 108 (58.4) | 0.662 |
Freelance | 25 (11.4) | 8 (23.5) | 17 (9.2) | 0.372 |
Unemployed | 7 (3.2) | 1 (2.9) | 6 (3.2) | |
Monthly income | ||||
No income | 41 (18.7) | 8 (23.5) | 33 (17.8) | 0.290 |
< CNY 5,000 | 44 (20.1) | 11 (32.4) | 33 (17.8) | 0.092 |
CNY 5001–10,000 | 82 (37.4) | 9 (26.5) | 73 (39.5) | 0.920 |
≥ CNY 10,000 | 52 (23.7) | 6 (17.6) | 46 (24.9) | |
Self-reported sexual orientation | ||||
Homosexual | 152 (69.4) | 9 (26.5) | 143 (77.3) | 0.465 |
Heterosexual | 2 (0.9) | 1 (2.9) | 1 (0.5) | 0.272 |
Bisexual | 57 (26.0) | 23 (67.6) | 34 (18.4) | 0.158 |
Otherc | 8 (2.7) | 1 (2.9) | 7 (3.8) | |
Planned ways to give birth to a baby | ||||
Already had a baby | 3 (1.4) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.6) | 0.999 |
Artificial insemination | 49 (22.4) | 8 (23.5) | 41 (22.2) | 0.457 |
Give birth in a wedlock | 13 (5.9) | 8 (23.5) | 5 (2.7) | < 0.001 |
Surrogacy | 6 (2.7) | 0 (0) | 6 (3.2) | 0.999 |
No plan to give birth to a baby | 148 (67.5) | 18 (52.9) | 130 (70.3) | |
Sexual behavior | ||||
Sex of the first sexual partner | ||||
Female | 166 (75.8) | 16 (47.1) | 150 (81.1) | < 0.001 |
Male | 53 (24.2) | 18 (52.9) | 35 (18.9) | |
Age of female-female sexual debut | ||||
Median (IQR) | 19 (18–22) | 21 (19–23) | 19 (18–22) | |
13–15 | 14 (6.4) | 1 (2.9) | 13 (7.0) | 0.296 |
16–22 | 159 (72.6) | 24 (70.6) | 135 (73.0) | 0.469 |
23–37 | 46 (21.0) | 9 (26.5) | 37 (20.0) | |
Number of sexual partners ever | ||||
1 | 40 (18.3) | 0 (0) | 40 (21.6) | 0.997 |
2–5 | 124 (56.6) | 21 (61.8) | 103 (55.7) | 0.294 |
> 6 | 55 (25.1) | 13 (38.2) | 42 (22.7) | |
Number of sexual partners in the past year | ||||
0 | 16 (7.3) | 0 (0) | 16 (8.6) | 0.998 |
1 | 143 (65.3) | 8 (23.5) | 135 (73.0) | < 0.001 |
2–5 | 53 (24.2) | 20 (58.8) | 33 (17.8) | 0.040 |
> 6 | 7 (3.2) | 6 (17.6) | 1 (0.5) | |
Specific sexual behaviors in the past year | ||||
Oral sex | 158 (72.1) | 27 (79.4) | 131 (70.8) | 0.304 |
Vaginal sex | 217 (99.1) | 34 (100.0) | 183 (98.9) | 1.000 |
SM | 24 (11.0) | 9 (26.5) | 15 (8.1) | 0.004* |
Group sex | 2 (0.9) | 1 (2.9) | 1 (0.5) | 0.287* |
Anal sex | 23 (10.5) | 9 (26.5) | 14 (7.6) | 0.003* |
Number of female sexual partners in the past year | ||||
0 | 35 (16.0) | 9 (26.5) | 26 (14.1) | 0.829 |
1 | 137 (62.6) | 13 (38.2) | 124 (67.0) | 0.240 |
2–3 | 38 (17.4) | 10 (29.4) | 28 (15.1) | 0.800 |
> 3 | 9 (4.1) | 2 (5.9) | 7 (3.8) | |
Specific female-female sexual behaviors in the past year | ||||
Digital-clitoral contact | 165 (75.3) | 24 (70.6) | 141 (76.2) | 0.484 |
Digital-vaginal contact | 171 (78.1) | 24 (70.6) | 147 (79.5) | 0.250 |
Oral-clitoral contact | 141 (64.4) | 23 (67.6) | 118 (63.8) | 0.665 |
Oral-vaginal contact | 100 (45.7) | 19 (55.9) | 81 (43.8) | 0.193 |
Clitoral-clitoral contact | 53 (24.2) | 10 (29.4) | 43 (23.2) | 0.440 |
Use sex toys with clitoris | 86 (39.3) | 13 (38.2) | 73 (39.5) | 0.893 |
Use sex toys with vagina | 69 (31.5) | 14 (41.2) | 55 (29.7) | 0.187 |
Used a sex toy with female sexual partners in the past year | ||||
Yes | 125 (57.1) | 20 (58.8) | 105 (56.8) | 0.823 |
No | 94 (42.9) | 14 (41.2) | 80 (43.2) | |
Shared a sex toy with female sexual partners in the past year | ||||
Yes | 73 (33.3) | 13 (38.2) | 60 (32.4) | 0.509 |
No | 146 (66.7) | 21 (61.8) | 125 (67.6) | |
Stimulating G-spot during female –female sex | ||||
Yes | 131 (59.8) | 23 (67.6) | 108 (58.4) | 0.311 |
No | 88 (40.2) | 11 (32.4) | 77 (41.6) | |
Seeking female sex partners via internet | ||||
Yes | 132 (60.3) | 23 (67.6) | 109 (58.9) | 0.339 |
No | 87 (39.7) | 11 (32.4) | 76 (41.1) | |
Ever taking alcohol during sex in the past year | ||||
Yes | 76 (34.7) | 15 (44.1) | 61 (33.0) | 0.210 |
No | 143 (65.3) | 19 (55.9) | 124 (67.0) | |
Sexual health | ||||
Main symptoms during female-female sex in the past year (N = 184) | ||||
Increased leucorrhea | 36 (19.6) | 5 (20.0) | 31 (19.5) | 1.000* |
Bellyache | 16 (8.7) | 2 (2.0) | 14 (8.8) | 1.000* |
Vulvar discomfort | 51 (27.7) | 6 (24.0) | 45 (28.3) | 0.655 |
Bleeding | 36 (19.6) | 4 (16.0) | 32 (20.1) | 0.629 |
No symptoms | 87 (47.3) | 13 (52.0) | 74 (46.5) | 0.611 |
Ever had symptoms of painful urination, abnormal vaginal discharge, or genital ulcer in the past year | ||||
Yes | 59 (26.9) | 14 (41.2) | 45 (24.3) | 0.042 |
No | 160 (73.1) | 20 (58.8) | 140 (75.7) | |
Ways to cope with the symptoms of painful urination, abnormal vaginal discharge, or genital ulcer (N = 59) | ||||
See a doctor | 23 (39.0) | 5 (35.7) | 18 (40.0) | 0.774 |
Purchase non-prescription drugs | 24 (40.7) | 3 (21.4) | 21 (46.7) | 0.093 |
Douching | 29 (49.2) | 5 (35.7) | 24 (53.3) | 0.249 |
Do nothing | 14 (23.7) | 3 (21.4) | 11 (24.4) | 0.817 |
Infected STIsd | ||||
Chlamydia | 9 (4.1) | 7 (20.6) | 2 (1.1) | < 0.001* |
Herpes simplex virus type 2 IgM + (HSV-2 IgM +) | 3 (1.4) | 3 (8.8) | 0 (0) | 0.003* |
Herpes simplex virus type 2 IgG + (HSV-2 IgG +) | 8 (3.7) | 1 (2.9) | 7 (3.8) | 1.000* |
Syphilis IgM + and IgG + | 1 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.5) | 1.000* |
Trichomonas | 1 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.5) | 1.000* |
Candidiasis | 1 (0.5) | 1 (2.9) | 0 (0) | 1.000* |
Infected with any STIs | 16 (7.3) | 8 (23.5) | 8 (4.3) | 0.001* |
Risk perception and health seeking behavior | ||||
Perceived risk of getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases via female-female sex | ||||
No idea | 14 (6.4) | 1 (2.9) | 13 (7.0) | 0.373 |
Low | 103 (47.0) | 20 (58.8) | 83 (44.9) | 0.779 |
Medium | 82 (37.4) | 10 (29.4) | 72 (38.9) | 0.811 |
High | 20 (9.1) | 3 (8.8) | 17 (9.2) | |
Had tested for STIs ever | ||||
Yes | 137 (62.6) | 25 (73.5) | 112 (60.5) | 0.150 |
No | 82 (37.4) | 9 (26.5) | 73 (39.5) | |
Had tested for STIs in the past year | ||||
Yes | 128 (58.4) | 24 (70.6) | 104 (56.2) | 0.118 |
No | 91 (41.6) | 10 (29.4) | 81 (43.8) | |
Routes of seeking knowledge of STIs | ||||
Internet | 207 (94.5) | 33 (97.1) | 174 (94.1) | 0.697* |
Doctors | 52 (23.7) | 10 (29.4) | 42 (22.7) | 0.398 |
Free publicity materials | 59 (26.9) | 7 (20.6) | 52 (28.1) | 0.364 |
On campus | 58 (26.5) | 10 (29.4) | 48 (25.9) | 0.674 |
