Sexually transmitted infections among migrants' wives remaining in rural homes – a pilot study of the remaining women in rural Wuhan, China

The growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in China appears to be related to the vast rural-to-urban migration, with rural migrants serving as a "living bridge" for the spread of HIV. The purpose of this study is to examine whether migrants' wives remaining in rural homes play a role in spreading the virus. Participants were recruited from 12 rural villages. Social and demographic factors, sexual behaviour, and HIV/AIDS knowledge were assessed using survey questionnaire. Reproductive tract infection (RTI; syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, vaginalis trichomonas, and candidiasis) were assessed using blood and vaginal specimens. Among the total 63 participants, 28 (44.4%) were wives remaining behind while their husbands migrated to a city ("remaining") and 35 were women whose spouses remained in the rural setting ("comparison"). The reported median duration (inter-quarter range (IQR)) since the last episode of sex with husband was nine months (IQR: 7-15) for the remaining women and three months (IQR: 2-7) for the comparison women (Z = 3.95, p < 0.01). RTI was 32.1% for remaining women and 17.1% for the comparison women (Odds ratio = 2.28, 95%CI: 0.70-7.48, p = 0.165). The high rate of RTI suggests that remaining women in rural areas may be at increased risk for acquiring HIV infection compared to women whose husbands remained in rural homes.