The prostitutes are divided into three segments: the drug abusive prostitute, the "sociable" prostitute and the professional prostitute. It is shown how these segments display a different attitude toward AIDS, and how the segments therefore require a differentiated campaign effort in a future information strategy. Since a comprehensive campaign drive has been conducted in most European countries and in North America with the intention of informing about the risk of being infected with HIV, and thereby the risk of developing AIDS Misztal and Moss In Denmark, the campaigns have been very comprehensive, and just about every possibility and opportunity to inform people have been explored.
With the exception of the special campaign efforts aimed at the two traditional high-risk groups, gays and bleeders, it has been characteristic of the information campaigns not to attempt to categorize the recipients of information according to their needs. The research leading to the results presented was motivated by considerations concerning the fact that there are actually other high-risk groups apart from gays and bleeders.
Female prostitutes constitute one of these groups. In order to be able to establish the extent to which female prostitutes had been affected by these previous general information campaigns, a field study was initiated with financial support from the Danish Ministry of Health. It has not only been the intention with this study to establish how previous information campaigns have affected female prostitutes, but also to attempt to uncover how it would be possible to inform this target group in a more effective way, should it turn out to be necessary.
When studying literature in consumer research it soon becomes apparent that, with a few exceptions e. Muir ; Huber and Schneider during the last five years. Therefore this field study practically started from scratch. The field study has taken place in a medium-sized Danish city , inhabitants in the time between May and September It is difficult to state the exact number of prostitutes in any Danish city although prostitution takes place quite openly and the authorities do not interfere directly, even though prostitution is not legal.
The prostitution market can be divided into four categories representing a status hierarchy: 1 Escort-prostitution; 2 Bar and hotel prostitution; 3 Massage prostitution; 4 Street prostitution. In this study, massage and street prostitution have primarily been the centre of focus because these forms are most commonly seen in this city. Escort prostitution and bar and hotel prostitution do exist, but only as a limited proportion of the total market.
