Factors that increase the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases among Panay-based male Filipino seafarers: A cross-sectional study on occupational factors, sexual practices and experiences, and knowledge status that increase the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases among male Filipino seafarers undergoing Panay-based training in December 2002

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional study that aims to determine the association between the presence of sexually transmitted diseases and the occupational factors, sexual practices and experiences, and knowledge status of male Filipino seafarers with sea experience, undergoing Panay-based training during the month of December 2002.

Questionnaires were distributed to 236 respondents. The respondents were divided into two main groups: a) seafarers with a history of sexually transmitted diseases, and b) seafarers without a history of sexually transmitted diseases.

Results showed that 13.56% of the respondents have history of sexually transmitted diseases. There is a significant relationship between the presence of history of sexually transmitted diseases of the seafarers and the following: their income, department, number of years of sea experience, having sexual encounters in ports, lifetime total number of sex partners in ports, and regular use of protection during sexual encounters with women in ports. However, there is no significant relationship between the presence of history of sexually transmitted diseases of the seafarers and the following: their age of start of sea experience, longest period of stay in a single port, most number of visits in a single port, type of sex partners in ports, and knowledge status.

Male seafarers have emerged among the more vulnerable groups to sexually transmitted diseases. As the number of male seafarers in the country increases each year, more attention must be given to their health and welfare.