Factors Associated with Short and Long Term Mobility and HIV Risk of Women Living in Fishing Communities Around Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda: A Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

Mobility is linked to negative HIV care continuum outcomes. We sought to understand factors associated with short and long term mobility among women in fishing communities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. From 2018 through 2019 we conducted a cross-sectional survey of women aged 15 years and above, randomly selected from a census of six fishing villages, around Lake Victoria. Data collected included: demographics, risky sexual behaviour on the most recent trip, and travel behaviour in the previous 4 months. Mobility was recorded as any overnight trip outside the participant’s village. A two-level multinomial logistic regression model was used to determine the associated factors. A total of 901 participants were enrolled, of whom 645 (71.6%) reported travelling (53.4%; short and 18.2% long term trips). Five factors were associated with long term travel: age, travel purpose, frequency of travel, sexual behaviour while travelling, and destination. Trips made by women aged 46–75 years were less likely to be long term. Long term trips were more common if the trip was to visit, rather than to trade, and more common for women who reported one or two trips rather than three or more trips. Women who made long term trips were more likely to engage in unprotected sex while on a trip. Women who travelled to a regional town/district or another town/district were more likely to take long term trips. The factors associated with travel duration among women living in fishing communities could inform planning of future health care interventions in these communities.

Leveraging Ecological Momentary Assessment Data to Characterize Individual Mobility: Exploratory Pilot Study in Rural Uganda

“…As a growing number of mHealth interventions in LMICs attempt to apply place-based strategies to improve health outcomes [ 26 - 30 ], more work is needed to understand the mobility of potential users. Among residents in rural Uganda, as part of a pilot trial, an EMA app successfully captured high mobility and health-related behaviors in multiple locations.…”

Acceptability and Applicability of Biometric Iris Scanning for the Identification and Follow Up of Highly Mobile Research Participants Living in Fishing Communities Along the Shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

“…1). The communities were selected based on proximity to the location of each partner institution, previous participation in mobility studies [1][2][3][4]7,25,26], a population of at least 1000 people, and high HIV prevalence (≥25%) [1][2][3][4]7].…”

Secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits from males to their female sexual partners in two fishing communities in rural Uganda

“…Studies show that women in the fishing communities tend to be highly mobile [ 25 , 26 ], moving from one place to the other due to work-related purposes. Because of their high mobility, women may not only be missed through conventional HIV services but they may also have no time to attend facility-based HIV testing services.…”