Table 1

Distribution of demographic characteristics for the three types of female sex workers.



Type of female sex workers







Variable
Variable categories
Street-based (N = 5010) Number (% of N)
Home-based (N = 1499) Number (% of N)
Brothel-based (N = 139) Number (% of N)
Total (N = 6648) Number (% of N)
Chi-square test for trend

Age group (years)
16–19
409 (8.2)
233 (15.5)
28 (20.1)
670 (10.1)
p < 0.0001

20–24
1215 (24.3)
472 (31.5)
52 (37.4)
1739 (26.2)


25–29
1541 (30.8)
365 (24.3)
27 (19.4)
1933 (29.1)


30–34
1087 (21.7)
251 (16.7)
18 (12.9)
1356 (20.4)


35–39
538 (10.7)
124 (8.3)
12 (8.6)
674 (10.1)


40–44
182 (3.6)
43 (2.9)
1 (0.7)
226 (3.4)


45–49
35 (0.7)
10 (0.7)
1 (0.7)
46 (0.7)


50–54
3 (0.1)
1 (0.1)
0
4 (0.1)


Caste*
Forward
256 (5.1)
64 (4.3)
13 (9.4)
333 (5.0)
p < 0.0001

Backward
1808 (36.1)
910 (60.7)
89 (64.0)
2807 (42.2)


Scheduled
1946 (38.8)
381 (25.4)
23 (16.5)
2350 (35.3)


Scheduled tribe
649 (13.0)
46 (3.1)
3 (2.2)
698 (10.5)


Not applicable
349 (7.0)
98 (6.5)
11 (7.9)
458 (6.9)


Education level
Illiterate
3851 (76.9)
1017 (67.8)
98 (70.5)
4966 (74.7)
p < 0.0001

Primary education (classes I to V)
862 (17.2)
318 (21.2)
27 (19.4)
1207 (18.2)


More than primary education
297 (5.9)
164 (10.9)
14 (10.1)
475 (7.1)


Marital status
Currently married
2280 (45.5)
394 (26.3)
24 (17.3)
2698 (40.6)
p < 0.0001

Separated
1539 (30.7)
347 (23.1)
37 (26.6)
1923 (28.9)


Divorced
82 (1.6)
35 (2.3)
1 (0.7)
118 (1.8)


Widowed
642 (12.8)
139 (9.3)
11 (7.9)
792 (11.9)


Never married
467 (9.3)
584 (39.0)
66 (47.5)
1117 (16.8)


Number of living children
None
890 (17.8)
585 (39.0)
71 (51.1)
1546 (23.3)
p < 0.0001

1
1035 (20.7)
275 (18.3)
23 (16.5)
1333 (20.1)


2
1684 (33.6)
349 (23.3)
25 (18.0)
2058 (31.0)


>2
1401 (28.0)
290 (19.3)
20 (14.4)
1711 (25.7)


*Not applicable for those belonging to religion other than Hindu.

†Separated: not staying with husband but not legally divorced.

Dandona et al. BMC International Health and Human Rights 2006 6:5   doi:10.1186/1472-698X-6-5