Factors Contributing to High HIV Prevalence in Majang Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: What Lies Beneath the Tip of the Iceberg?

Does the perception of HIV risk among Female sex workers affect HIV prevention behavior? application of the Health Belief Model (HBM)

“…In support of this, a qualitative study conducted in a similar setting disclosed that youths conduct sex in "Tifo bet" (residential youth accommodation, where young people may interact with mineworkers and other sexual partners) to keep their sexual relations secret from the witness of people; without using a condom or knowing the HIV status of their sexual partners; in exchange for small things like soap, lotions, or money [11]. This finding implies the importance of designing differentiated responses that meet the needs of adolescent FSWs.…”

“…This could be due to the fact that individuals who know the transmission and prevention pathway can strictly follow the recommended prevention practice including consistent condom use, testing for HIV, and not sharing injecting equipment with another person. However, a qualitative study conducted in a similar setting explained the shifting of government and NGOs working on HIV to other programs as contributing factors for sustained HIV in the area [11]. This may call for reconsidering the program for solidification of HIV prevention.…”

“…As a result, there are several gold mineworkers and female sex workers in the area. Clients of FSWs are frequently miners in this area who are reported to engage in risky sexual practices and have high prevalence of HIV [11,17]. This study is part of the study conducted in the Dima district of Gambella region regarding HIV prevention behaviors among gold mineworkers [17].…”

“…A qualitative study from a similar setting explored contextual factors embedded in the community that contributed to the high prevalence of HIV like practices of extramarital sex, polygamy, high movements of people to and from the area, and the existence of a large number of FSWs [11]. As a result, it is imperative to assess sex workers' beliefs about HIV and their motivation to engage in prevention behaviors.…”

Pregnancy among adolescent girls in humanitarian settings: a case in refugee camp of Gambella regional state, community-based cross-sectional study, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021

“…According to the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey and many other studies, the study area, Gambella regional state of Ethiopia, has high unmet need for family planning (23%),14 high polygamy practice (21%)19 and highest HIV/sexually transmitted infections prevalence in the country due to multiple factors such as, low service coverage, high prevalence of male uncircumcision, early sexual initiation among adolescents related to traditional malpractice like ‘Tifo bet’20 and environmental factors like presence of gold mining workers21 and others 14 18 20 22–24. Besides, the majority of the refugee community including adolescents are those who lost one or both of their parents during the conflict.…”