Beijing's male taxi drivers are more likely to experience reproductive health problems, according to a recent survey by the China Family Planning Association (CFPA).

The survey of 350 male taxi drivers from Beijing Yinjian Taxi Company was intended to investigate and improve sexual and reproductive health awareness among the capital's male taxi drivers.

It was conducted from November 2010 until March 2011.

The survey found 56.7 percent of respondents previously suffered from erectile dysfunction and 80 percent did not know how to effectively protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.

Free physical checkups were given to the participants at the Wu Jieping urinary surgery medical center affiliated with Peking University.

The results show that the rate of prostatitis - an inflammation of the prostate gland - is 10 percent higher among taxi drivers compared to the general population.

He Lijun, a doctor at the center, told METRO that prostatitis is the most common problem for drivers because of the long hours spent sitting.

"But most drivers in Beijing, and I believe many nationwide, do not take the hidden risk seriously," He said.

"They still lack reproductive health awareness."

Qi Yuling, an officer of CFPA's international division, who played a major role in the program, said the taxi industry's operation is responsible for the male taxi drivers' health problems.

Beijing has more than 90,000 taxi drivers. About 1,000 own their cabs but work for a taxi company.

The others must work as long as they can every day, normally at least 10 hours, to earn a decent living while renting the companies' cars.

"Time means money to us," 49-year-old Tang Shizhong, who works for the Sanyuan Taxi Company, said.

"I don't rest until it is time to hand the car over to another driver. And I can't take time off work to receive physical checkups, even if it is free."

Qi also said the survey results are valuable, because it took CFPA some time to realize men's role in birth control and family planning, and to focus on men's reproductive health.

Men's reproductive health - and its impact on that of women and pregnancy - has largely been ignored, as most contraceptive measures have been geared toward women.

"Maintaining harmonious and happy relationships and improving the quality of China's population requires awareness of the reproductive health of both sexes," Qi said.

The project was supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and included physical checkups, face-to-face family planning training, lectures on sexual and reproductive health, and the prevention of the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other venereal diseases.

Initial plans called for the distribution of free condoms to taxi passengers to introduce the concept that condoms are comparable to safety belts in the way that they protect personal safety, Qi said. Educational brochures about sexual and reproductive health were also prepared for passengers to take.

But most drivers opposed their distribution, because they said it would make them and most passengers feel awkward.

"It goes against the traditional Chinese concept of sex being a taboo topic in

public," said 42-year-old Li Hongfei, who has been a taxi driver for more than five years.

"I won't personally bring up the subject in the car. It's just too sensitive, and I fear many women passengers would feel upset riding with a strange driver who talks about sex, especially at night."

CFPA had also planned to produce a sexual and reproductive health program for Beijing Communication Radio (BCR), the most popular station among the capital's drivers. But the cultural taboo also made this plan impossible to follow through with.

"Anything about body parts below the waist cannot be broadcast," Qi quoted a BCR producer as saying.