Prevalence and Correlates of Condom Use and HIV Testing Among Female Sex Workers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Implications for HIV Transmission

Abstract

Little is known about sex work in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, despite rapid increases in HIV infection. Consistent client condom use and prior HIV testing are described among 448 female sex workers (FSW) completing a self-administered questionnaire, health provider interview, and HIV testing between April 2003 and March 2004. Participants were recruited through outreach workers using modified snowball sampling. Consistent client condom use was more likely for FSW who were married, knew condoms prevent HIV, and from countries in south Central Asia. Prior HIV testing was less likely for FSW younger than 21 years, who shared drugs with clients, initiated sex work at 18 years or less and had engaged in sex work less than 2 years. Low rates of condom use, particularly by those with risky drug behaviors, indicate that targeted risk-reduction interventions are urgently needed.

HIV Testing and Counseling Among Female Sex Workers: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Simonovikj et al [53]MacedoniaN = 106 SWsCase reportn/an/an/a28. Todd et al [32]UzbekistanN = 448 FSWsQN,CSEver tested:83.9%Younger ageInitiated SW before age 18Shared drugs with clientsConsistent condom use with clientsShorter period of SWFewer SPPoor VCT knowledgen/a29. Tran et al [33]VietnamN = 1998 FSWsQN,CSEver tested: 34.4% ESWs 24.4%-SSWsCollected result:86.9%Ever injected drugsHaving IDUs as clientsInconsistent condom use with non-commercial SP lover and husband)Duration of SWInconsistent condom use with clientsHigher HIV knowledge (information via communication campaign)Higher perceived risk30.…”

“…Simonovikj et al [53]n/an/aCases of forced testing during police arrestn/an/a28. Todd et al [32]n/an/aCompulsory testing during police detainmentIllegal SWFees for testing and treatmentn/aChange in criminal lawGuarantee anonymous testingEstablishment of “friendly cabinets”29. Tran et al [33]n/an/a54% were tested voluntarily, other were forcedn/an/a30.…”

Determinants of consistent condom use among female commercial sex workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo: implications for interventions

“…Having mentioned condom use as being effective in preventing HIV/AIDS, having been counselled and tested for HIV, and having had easy access to condoms correlating with consistent condom use, stress one more time that knowledge and access to prevention services can positively impact on behaviour 16 29. The government should feel compelled to scale up prevention services, namely VCT, condom promotion and provision.…”

“…Consistent condom use depends on a variety of factors, including the knowledge that condoms are effective for preventing HIV,10 the partner’s acceptance, condom beliefs and self-efficacy,11 12 sociodemographic characteristics of the CSW, such as age, duration of commercial sex work, education, age at first sexual experience, intensity of sexual activity,13 – 15 marital status,16 the capacity to negotiate safe sex with clients who offer extra money in order not to use a condom,17 18 the type of sexual partners (whether paying or not paying),10 19 20 socioeconomic disadvantages and the threat of violence from clients 21…”

HIV Risk Behaviors Among Three Classes of Female Sex Workers in Vietnam

“…For these reasons, the study was not based on a random sample, but rather on a sample of women from each class who were willing to be interviewed. The sampling methods used are compatible with the two-stage cluster (Tran, Detels, Long, Phung, & Lan, 2005b), modified snowball (Todd et al, 2007), refined chain referral (Mills, Saidel, Magnani, & Brown, 2004), and respondent-driven (Johnston et al, 2006) strategies currently recommended for studying hard-toreach populations. Nonetheless, the characteristics of study participants may have differed from those of women who were not invited to complete the interview and those who declined the invitation.…”