How important are venue-based HIV risks among male clients of female sex workers? A mixed methods analysis of the risk environment in nightlife venues in Tijuana, Mexico

Understanding the contexts in which female sex workers sell sex in Kampala, Uganda: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Structural, interpersonal and individual level factors can present barriers for HIV prevention behaviour among people at high risk of HIV acquisition, including women who sell sex. In this paper we document the contexts in which women selling sex in Kampala meet and provide services to their clients.

METHODS

We collected qualitative data using semi-structured interviews. Women were eligible to participate if they were 18 years or older, self-identified as sex workers or offered sex for money and spoke Luganda or English. Ten women who met clients in venues and outdoor locations were selected randomly from a clinic for women at high risk of HIV acquisition. Ten other women who met clients online were recruited using snowball sampling. Interviews included demographic data, and themes included reasons for joining and leaving sex work, work locations, nature of relationships with clients and peers, interaction with authorities, regulations on sex work, and reported stigma. We conducted interviews over three months. Data were analysed thematically using a framework analysis approach. The coding framework was based on structural factors identified from literature, but also modified inductively with themes arising from the interviews.

RESULTS

Women met clients in physical and virtual spaces. Physical spaces included venues and outdoor locations, and virtual spaces were online platforms like social media applications and websites. Of the 20 women included, 12 used online platforms to meet clients. Generally, women from the clinic sample were less educated and predominantly unmarried, while those from the snowball sample had more education, had professional jobs, or were university students. Women from both samples reported experiences of stigma, violence from clients and authorities, and challenges accessing health care services due to the illegality of sex work. Even though all participants worked in settings where sex work was illegal and consequently endured harsh treatment, those from the snowball sample faced additional threats of cybersecurity attacks, extortion from clients, and high levels of violence from clients.

CONCLUSIONS

To reduce risk of HIV acquisition among women who sell sex, researchers and implementers should consider these differences in contexts, challenges, and risks to design innovative interventions and programs that reach and include all women.

HIV-1 transmission dynamics among people who inject drugs on the US/Mexico border during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prosepective cohort study

Background

We examined HIV prevalence and transmission dynamics among people who inject drugs in the U.S./Mexico border region during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

People who inject drugs aged ≥18 years from 3 groups were recruited: people who inject drugs who live in San Diego (SD) and engaged in cross-border drug use in Tijuana, Mexico (SD CBDUs), and people who inject drugs in SD and Tijuana (TJ) who did not engage in cross-border drug use (NCBDUs). We computed HIV prevalence at baseline and bivariate incidence-density rates (IR) at 18-month follow-up. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was used to identify local transmission clusters, estimate their age, and effective reproductive number (Re) over time within the clusters.

Findings

At baseline (n = 612), 26% of participants were female, 9% engaged in sex work, and HIV prevalence was 8% (4% SD CBDU, 4% SD NCBDU, 16% TJ NCBDU). Nine HIV seroconversions occurred over 18 months, IR: 1.357 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 0.470, 2.243); 7 in TJ NCBDU and 2 in SD CBDU. Out of 16 identified phylogenetic clusters, 9 (56%) had sequences from both the U.S. and Mexico (mixed-country). The age of three youngest mixed-country dyads (2018-2021) overlapped with the COVID-related US-Mexico border closure in 2020. One large mixed-country cluster (N = 15) continued to grow during the border closure (Re = 4.8, 95% Highest Posterior Density (HPD) 1.5-9.1) with 47% engaging in sex work.

Interpretation

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the border closure, cross-border HIV clusters grew. Efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. should take into account cross-border HIV-1 transmission from Tijuana. Mobile harm reduction services and coordination with municipal HIV programs to initiate anti-retroviral therapy and pre-exposure prophylaxisis are needed to reduce transmission.

Funding

This research was supported by the James B. Pendleton Charitable Trust and the San Diego Center for AIDS Research.

Male partners of female sex workers: The intersectional risk environment of HIV/AIDS in a Kampala informal settlement

AIM

This study examined the context and drivers of HIV risk and vulnerability among male partners of female sex workers in Kampala, Uganda, using an "intersectional risk environment" framework.

METHODS

This research reports on findings from an ethnographic study (2016-2019) of men in one informal settlement in Kabalagala Parish in Kampala. This research included long-term participant observation in and around the study community. Thematic analysis was used to assess aspects of the risk environment and how it influences HIV/AIDS among male partners of female sex workers.

RESULTS

The informal settlement context where sex work takes place is conceptualized here as a "risk environment," or a social-physical space in which risk and harm are produced (Rhodes, 2002). Risk is situated within a broader social and political structure that constrains choices and facilitates HIV risk, particularly for young, low-income men facing matrices of domination on the basis of age, gender, residence, and income. These intersectionalities guide experiences of HIV vulnerability in the risk environment, including physical, social, economic, and policy risks. This includes physical risks (population density, bar density), social risks (sex work, bar groups), economic risks (informal and low wage work), and political risks (anti-poverty laws and legislation, urban policy).

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight how an intersectional risk environment is differentially experienced by young, low-income men to produce unequal HIV/AIDS outcomes. This research fills a gap in the literature on the context of HIV/AIDS among men, particularly high-risk men like male partners of female sex workers. Using this framework will improve understandings of HIV outcomes among male partners of female sex workers and will facilitate context-specific and adapted structural interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Patterns of Sex Work Client Solicitation Settings and Associations with HIV/STI Risk Among a Cohort of Female Sex Workers in Baltimore, Maryland

Female sex workers' (FSWs) risk for HIV/STIs is influenced by their work environments. While previous research has characterized vulnerability in a single workplace, many FSWs solicit clients from multiple settings. Using latent class analysis (LCA), we examined client solicitation patterns and associated HIV/STI-related behaviors (consistent condom use with clients, asking clients about HIV/STIs, and past 6-month HIV/STI testing) among 385 FSWs in Baltimore, Maryland. The LCA yielded a three-class solution: predominantly street (61.2%), mixed street/venue (23.7%), and multisource (street, venue, and online) (15.1%). Consistent condom use differed significantly (p < 0.01) by class, with the mixed street/venue having the lowest (40.6%) rate and the multisource having the highest (70.6%). Classes differed on HIV/STI testing (p < 0.01), with the predominantly street class having the lowest testing rate (56.2%) and multisource with the highest (85.7%). These findings underscore the importance of considering how solicitation patterns are linked to HIV/STI susceptibility of FSWs and adapting interventions accordingly.

Exploring the dynamics of workplace typologies for sex workers in Eastern Ukraine

We examine the typologies of workplaces for sex workers in Dnipro, Ukraine as part of the larger Dynamics Study, which explores the influence of conflict on sex work. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 560 women from September 2017 to October 2018. The results of our study demonstrate a diverse sex work environment with heterogeneity across workplace typologies in terms of remuneration, workload, and safety. Women working in higher prestige typologies earned a higher hourly wage, however client volume also varied which resulted in comparable monthly earnings from sex work across almost all workplace types. While sex workers in Dnipro earn a higher monthly wage than the city mean, they also report experiencing high rates of violence and a lack of personal safety at work. Sex workers in all workplaces, with the exception of those working in art clubs, experienced physical and sexual violence perpetrated by law enforcement officers and sex partners. By understanding more about sex work workplaces, programmes may be better tailored to meet the needs of sex workers and respond to changing work environments due to ongoing conflict and COVID-19 pandemic.

Daily activity spaces and drug use among female sex workers living with HIV in the Dominican Republic

The purpose of this study was to explore the daily activity spaces of female sex workers living with HIV in the Dominican Republic and assess the relationship between activity path and location-based risk exposure measures and daily drug use. The study employed a micro-longitudinal observational study design using an innovative 7-day travel diary to capture daily activity routes and a 7-day mobile health (mHealth) daily diary to collect daily substance use behaviors among 51 female sex workers. To estimate between-subject variability, a series of crude and adjusted modified log-Poisson repeated measures regression models with generalized estimating equations, clustering by individual with a compound symmetry working correlation structure were fit to estimate the relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Controlling for individual level factors, findings showed that female sex workers exposed to a higher number of risk outlets (e.g., liquor stores, bars, hotels, nightclubs, brothels, etc.) within 200 and 100-meters of sex work locations were at an increased risk of daily drug use (RRadj: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.05, RRadj: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.09). No association was detected between activity path exposure and daily drug use. These findings illustrate the importance of moving beyond static residential neighborhood boundaries for measuring risk exposures and highlight the significant role that daily work environments have on drug harms among a highly stigmatized and vulnerable population.

Consistent condom use among men who pay for sex in sub-Saharan Africa: Empirical evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys

BACKGROUND

Paying for sex has often been associated with risky sexual behavior among heterosexual men, and men who pay for sex are considered as a bridging population for sexually transmitted infections. Consistent condom use during paid sex is essential for reducing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. In this study, we assessed the prevalence and predictors of consistent condom use among men who pay for sex in sub-Saharan Africa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We pooled data from 29 sub-Saharan African countries' Demographic and Health Surveys. A total of 3,353 men in sub-Saharan Africa who had paid for sex in the last 12 months preceding the surveys and had complete information on all the variables of interest were used in this study. The outcome variable for the study was consistent condom use for every paid sex in the last 12 months. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out. Results were presented as adjusted odds ratios with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was declared at p< 0.05.

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of consistent condom use during paid sex in sub-Saharan Africa was 83.96% (CI = 80.35-87.56), ranging from 48.70% in Benin to 98% in Burkina Faso. Men aged 35-44 [AOR, 1.39 CI = 1.04-1.49], men in the richest wealth quintile [AOR, 1.96 CI = 1.30-3.00], men with secondary level of education [AOR, 1.69 CI = 1.17-2.44], and men in Burkina Faso [AOR = 67.59, CI = 8.72-523.9] had higher odds of consistent condom use during paid sex, compared to men aged 15-19, those in the poorest wealth quintile, those with no formal education, and men in Benin respectively. Conversely, Muslim men had lower odds [AOR = 0.71, CI = 0.53-0.95] of using condom consistently during paid sex, compared to Christian men.

CONCLUSION

Empirical evidence from this study suggests that consistent condom use during paid sex encompasses complex social and demographic characteristics. The study also revealed that demographic characteristics such as age, wealth quintile, education, and religion were independently related to consistent condom use for paid sex among men. With sub-Saharan Africa having the highest sexual and reproductive health burden in the world, continuous application of evidence-based interventions (e.g., educational and entrepreneurial training) that account for behavioural and social vulnerabilities are required.

A Mixed Methods Analysis of the Venue-Related Social and Structural Context of Drug Use During Sex Among Male Clients of Female Sex Workers in Tijuana, Mexico

Drug use during sex increases risks for HIV acquisition. Male clients of female sex workers (FSW) represent both a key population at risk for HIV as well as a transmission bridge population. In Tijuana, Mexico, drug use is prevalent and there is a need to understand male clients' drug use during sex with FSW. Characteristics of sex work venues may confer higher risks for drug use, risky sex, and HIV/STI. It is essential to understand the venue-related social and structural factors associated with drug use during sex in order to inform HIV prevention interventions with male clients in this region. We used a Mixed-Methods Sequential Explanatory Design to conduct an enriched examination of drug use during sex among male clients of FSW in Tijuana. Findings from logistic regression analysis showed that drug use during sex was significantly correlated with police harassment (AOR = 4.06, p < .001) and methamphetamine use (AOR = 33.77, p < .001). In-depth interview data provided rich meaning behind and context around the quantitative associations. Social and structural interventions to reduce police harassment, methamphetamine use, and promote condom availability are needed to reduce risks for HIV among male clients of FSW in Tijuana.

Paid sex among men in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of the demographic and health survey

Background

Paying for sex is regarded as a risky sexual behavior (RSB) among heterosexual men. Men paying for sex are considered to be a bridging population for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite the link between paid sex and sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as STIs, little is known about the prevalence and factors associated with paid sex among men in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the prevalence of paid sex and the socio-demographic factors associated with it among men in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

The study made use of pooled data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted from January 1, 2010 to December 3, 2016 in 27 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Binary and multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between the explanatory and the outcome variables.

Results

The results of the study showed that of the 139,427 men who participated in the study, 4.3% reported they had paid for sex in the 12 months preceding the survey. Men in Mozambique had the highest proportion (13.6%) of paying for sex in the 12 months preceding the survey. The results of the multivariable analysis indicated that men from DR Congo [AOR = 9.74; 95% CI = 7.45-12.73], men who had completed only primary level of education [AOR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.18-1.45], men aged 25-34 years [AOR = 2.84; 95% CI = 2.26-3.56], men belonging to "other" religious groups [AOR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.09-1.32] and men who were employed [AOR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.58-1.90] had higher odds of paying for sex. Men who were divorced [AOR = 4.52; 95% = 3.89-5.25], men who read newspaper/magazine almost every day [AOR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.12-1.63], men who listened to radio almost every day [AOR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.05-1.36] and men who watched television at least once a week [AOR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.01-1.19] also had higher odds of paying for sex. On the other hand, men in rural areas [AOR = 0.88; 95%CI = 0.82-0.95], men in the richest wealth quintile [AOR = 0.83; 95%CI = 0.74-0.93] and those with tertiary level of education [AOR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.65-0.90] had lower odds of paying for sex.

Conclusion

The odds of paid sex were high among men with only primary level of education, men aged 25-34, men who professed 'other' religious affiliation, men who are employed and men who are divorced. However, paid sex was low among men in the richest wealth quintile, men with tertiary level of education and men living in rural areas. This means that the decision to pay for sex is influenced by several social and demographic factors. Hence, these factors should be taken into consideration for sexual and reproductive health interventions and services. Policy and interventional measures should aim at reducing high-risk behavior of men who pay for sex.

Substance Use among Female Sex Workers in Two US-Mexico Border Cities: Associations with Age of Entry

BACKGROUND

Research has documented consistent associations between entry into sex work as a minor and sexual HIV risk. However, previous studies have not examined whether substance use and related HIV risk are elevated among those who enter sex work under age 18.

METHODS

Quantitative data were collected via time-location sampling of 603 female sex workers (FSWs) ages 18 years and older residing in two Mexico-US border cities. Age of entry into sex work (categorized as 15 years or younger, 16-17 years, or 18 years and older) was assessed as a predictor of substance use (forced and voluntary) within the first month post-entry and recent (past 30 days) substance use with clients.

RESULTS

Compared to those who entered as adults, participants who entered sex work at age 15 or younger were significantly more likely to report drug use (AOR = 5.2, CI = 2.9-8.9) and forced drug use within the first 30 days of entry (AOR= 6.0, CI = 1.9-18.9), as well as past month drug use with clients (AOR= 3.4, CI = 1.9-5.8). Similar results were found among participants who entered sex work at age 16-17.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased risk of recent substance use with clients indicates continuing elevated risk for those entering sex work at these early ages. Early and forced substance use at entry may underlie the elevated risk of HIV infection consistently observed among this population.

Residential eviction and exposure to violence among people who inject drugs in Vancouver, Canada

BACKGROUND

People who inject drugs (PWID) experience markedly elevated rates of physical and sexual violence, as well as housing instability. While previous studies have demonstrated an association between homelessness and increased exposure to violence among PWID, the relationship between residential eviction and violence is unknown. We therefore sought to examine the association between residential eviction and experiencing violence among PWID in Vancouver, Canada.

METHODS

Data were derived from two open prospective cohort studies of PWID: the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study (VIDUS) and the AIDS Care Cohort to evaluate Exposure to Survival Services (ACCESS). We used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to estimate the relationship between residential eviction and experiencing violence among male and female PWID, respectively.

RESULTS

Between June 2007 and May 2014, 1689 participants were eligible for the analysis, contributing a median of 5.5 years of follow-up. Of these, 567 (33.6%) were female. In total, 259 (45.7%) of females and 566 (50.4%) of males experienced at least one incident of violence over the study period. In multivariable GEE models, residential eviction was independently associated with greater odds of experiencing violence among both females (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-3.13) and males (AOR=1.95; 95% CI=1.49-2.55), after adjustment for potential confounders.

CONCLUSION

Residential eviction was independently associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing violence among both male and female PWID. These findings point to the need for evidence-based social-structural interventions to mitigate housing instability and violence among PWID in this setting.

Stigma and unmet sexual and reproductive health needs among international migrant sex workers at the Mexico-Guatemala border

OBJECTIVE

To explore international migrant sex workers' experiences and narratives pertaining to the unmet need for and access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) at the Mexico-Guatemala border.

METHODS

An inductive qualitative analysis was conducted based on ethnographic fieldwork (2012-2015) including participant observation and audio-recorded in-depth interviews. The participants were female sex workers aged 18 years or older and international migrants working at the Mexico-Guatemala border.

RESULTS

In total, 31 women were included. The greatest areas of unmet need included accessible, affordable, and nonstigmatizing access to contraception and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. On both sides of the border, poor information about the health systems, services affordability, and perceived stigma resulted in barriers to access SRH services, with women preferring to access private doctors in their destination country or delaying uptake of until their next trip home. Financial barriers prevented women from accessing needed services, with most only receiving SRH services in their destination country through public health regulations surrounding sex work or as urgent care.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a crucial need to avoid prioritizing vertical disease-specific services and to promote access to rights-based SRH services for migrant sex workers in both home and destination settings.

Influence of indoor work environments on health, safety, and human rights among migrant sex workers at the Guatemala-Mexico Border: a call for occupational health and safety interventions

BACKGROUND

Migrant women are over-represented in the sex industry, and migrant sex workers experience disproportionate health inequities, including those related to health access, HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and violence. Despite calls for occupational sex work interventions situated in labour rights frameworks, there remains a paucity of evidence pertaining to migrant sex workers' needs and realities, particularly within Mexico and Central America. This study investigated migrant sex workers' narratives regarding the ways in which structural features of work environments shape vulnerability and agency related to HIV/STI prevention and violence at the Guatemala-Mexico border.

METHODS

Drawing on theoretical perspectives on risk environments and structural determinants of HIV in sex work, we analyzed in-depth interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic fieldwork conducted with 39 migrant sex workers in indoor work environments between 2012 and 2015 in Tecún Umán, Guatemala.

RESULTS

Participant narratives revealed the following intersecting themes to be most closely linked to safety and agency to engage in HIV/STI prevention: physical features of indoor work environments (e.g., physical layout of venue, proximity to peers and third parties); social norms and practices for alcohol use within the workplace; the existence and nature of management practices and policies on health and safety practices; and economic influences relating to control over earnings and clients. Across work environments, health and safety were greatly shaped by human rights concerns stemming from workplace interactions with police, immigration authorities, and health authorities.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical isolation, establishment norms promoting alcohol use, restricted economic agency, and human rights violations related to sex work policies and immigration enforcement were found to exacerbate risks. However, some establishment policies and practices promoted 'enabling environments' for health and safety, supporting HIV/STI prevention, economic agency, and protection from violence and exploitation; these practices and policies were especially crucial for recent migrants. Policy reforms and structural workplace interventions tailored to migrant sex workers' needs are recommended to promote improved working conditions and migrant sex workers' health, safety, and human rights.

Exploring the Context and Implementation of Public Health Regulations Governing Sex Work: A Qualitative Study with Migrant Sex Workers in Guatemala

Public health regulations practices surrounding sex work and their enforcement can have unintended consequences for HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and care among sex workers. This analysis was based on qualitative in-depth (n = 33) and focus groups interviews (n = 20) conducted with migrant female sex workers in Tecún Umán and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and explored the implementation of sex work regulations and related consequences for HIV prevention and care among migrant sex workers. Sex work regulations were found to have health-related benefits (e.g., access to HIV/STI testing) as well as negative impacts, such as abuse by police and harassment, detention/deportation of migrant sex workers. Whereas public health regulations may improve access to HIV/STI testing, their implementation may inadvertently jeopardize sex workers' health through unintended negative consequences. Non-coercive, evidence-based public health and sex work policies and programs are needed to expand access to HIV/STI prevention and care among migrant sex workers, while protecting their dignity and human rights.

Risk Environments and Substance Use Among Mexican Female Sex Work on the U.S.-Mexico Border

We use a risk environment framework to qualitatively examine pathways into substance use and abuse among Mexican female sex workers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Life history interviews and ethnographic observations were conducted with female sex workers to uncover how the border context shapes patterns of substance use. The findings illustrate that, for many women, initiation into sex work is contextualized within immigration, the global economy, and demands and desire for financial autonomy. Paradoxically, many find autonomy within sex work as they increase their ability to support their families and themselves. As women become more entrenched in sex work, however, they are put on a path toward substance abuse beginning with alcohol then cocaine and heroin. This identification of specific substance use pathways and trajectories has important implications for the development of prevention and intervention programs that can help curtail problematic drug use that can lead to negative health consequences.

Correlates of unprotected sex with male clients among female sex workers in 13 Mexican cities

This study examined correlates of unprotected vaginal and anal sex (UVA) with male clients among female sex workers (FSWs). Baseline data were gathered from 1089 FSWs recruited from 13 cities across Mexico enrolled in an evidence-based sexual risk reduction intervention. We used generalised estimating equations (GEE) to predict total UVA while controlling for the nested structure of the data. Total UVA with clients in the past month was examined in relation to selected sociodemographic, substance-use, and micro- and macro-environmental factors. A greater number of UVA acts was associated with three micro-level environmental factors (i.e. never getting condoms for free, unaffordability of condoms, greater number of clients per month), and three macro-level environmental factors (i.e. lower health and higher education indices, greater population size of city). These findings suggest the development of social and structural approaches to HIV prevention for FSWs in Mexico, including modification of venue-based policies that pressure FSWs to maximise client volume, changes to the work environment that promote availability and affordability of condoms, and improved population health. Moreover, our findings call for the development of context-specific HIV interventions that take into account variations in the sexual risk behaviours and HIV risk environments of FSWs throughout Mexico.

The Loss of Boystown and Transition to Online Sex Work: Strategies and Barriers to Increase Safety Among Men Sex Workers and Clients of Men

Men sex workers in Vancouver have largely transitioned from street to online solicitation coinciding with losing "Boystown," the main outdoor sex work stroll for men. This article explores strategies and barriers to increase safety among men and trans sex workers and clients of men in Vancouver, Canada. Qualitative interviews were conducted (2012-2013) with 61 self-identifed men who currently buy and/or sell sex in a community-based research project known as CHAPS (Community Health Assessment of Men Who Purchase and Sell Sex). Drawing on a socioecological framework, thematic analysis of interview transcripts was conducted utilizing ATLAS.ti 7 software among men (39 workers; 8 buyers). Narratives indicate that gentrification and urban planning led to social isolation and loss of social support networks among men in the sex industry. Concurrently, the restructuring of sex work to online increased workers' safety and control. Narratives reveal how the Internet can provide greater opportunities to negotiate terms of sex work and enhanced screening using webcams, reducing risks of violence, stigma, and police harassment for both workers and clients compared with the street. This study highlights how losing Boystown led to a loss of community and solidarity: key protective measures for sex workers. Online solicitation increased workers' capacity to screen prospective clients and prevent violence. Recent legal reforms in Canada to further criminalize sex work raise significant concern for human rights and health of individuals in the sex industry, and point to the critical need to include voices of men and trans sex workers and buyers in policy discussions.

Venues for Meeting Sex Partners and Partner HIV Risk Characteristics: HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN064) Women's HIV Seroincidence Study (ISIS)

Identifying venues where women meet sexual partners, particular partners who increase women's risk of acquiring HIV, could inform prevention efforts. We categorized venues where women enrolled in HPTN 064 reported meeting their last three sex partners as: (1) Formal, (2) Public, (3) Private, and (4) Virtual spaces. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the association between these venues and women's individual characteristics and reports of their partners' HIV risk characteristics. The 2099 women reported meeting 3991 partners, 51 % at Public, 30 % Private, 17 % Formal and 3 % at Virtual venues. Women meeting partners at Formal venues reported more education and condom use than women meeting partners at other venues. Fewer partners met through Formal venues had "high" risk characteristics for HIV than through other venues and hence may pose less risk of HIV transmission. HIV prevention interventions can help women choose partners with fewer risk characteristics across all venue types.

What role does transactional sex play in the HIV/STI and reproductive health risk behaviour among high-tier entertainment centre workers in China?

China's rapid economic growth over the last three decades has led to increased population wealth and the proliferation of entertainment centres where people can conduct business, relax and meet new people. Little is known about the sexual risk behaviours of employees at high-tier entertainment centres. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by comparing HIV risk perception and sexual and reproductive health behaviours among female and male employees at three high-tier entertainment centres in two cities in China, comparing those who report a history of transactional sex to those who do not. In both cities, participants who reported a history of transactional sex were more likely than those without a history of transactional sex to report multiple sexual partnerships, more lifetime sexual partners, a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), having anal sex and/or recent abortions, and were more likely to perceive themselves to be at risk for STIs/HIV. However, risk behaviour was also high among those with no history of transactional sex. These findings highlight the need for targeted sexual and reproductive health initiatives for employees in these work settings.

Sexually transmitted infection screening uptake and knowledge of sexually transmitted infection symptoms among female sex workers participating in a community randomised trial in Peru

This study aims to evaluate condom use, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, and knowledge of STI symptoms among female sex workers in Peru associated with sex work venues and a community randomised trial of STI control. One component of the Peru PREVEN intervention conducted mobile-team outreach to female sex workers to reduce STIs and increase condom use and access to government clinics for STI screening and evaluation. Prevalence ratios were calculated using multivariate Poisson regression models with robust standard errors, clustering by city. As-treated analyses were conducted to assess outcomes associated with reported exposure to the intervention. Care-seeking was more frequent in intervention communities, but differences were not statistically significant. Female sex workers reporting exposure to the intervention had a significantly higher likelihood of condom use, STI screening at public health clinics, and symptom recognition compared to those not exposed. Compared with street- or bar-based female sex workers, brothel-based female sex workers reported significantly higher rates of condom use with last client, recent screening exams for STIs, and HIV testing. Brothel-based female sex workers also more often reported knowledge of STIs and recognition of STI symptoms in women and in men. Interventions to promote STI detection and prevention among female sex workers in Peru should consider structural or regulatory factors related to sex work venues.

Toward Development of Enhanced Preventive Interventions for HIV Sexual Risk among Alcohol-Using Populations: Confronting the 'Mere Pause from Thinking'

The papers in this issue detail state-of-the science knowledge regarding the role of alcohol use in HIV/AIDS risk, as well as offer suggestions for ways forward for behavioral HIV prevention for at-risk alcohol-using populations. In light of recent evidence suggesting that the anticipated uptake of the newer biomedical HIV prevention approaches, prominently including pre-exposure prophylaxis, has been stalled owing to a host of barriers, it has become ever more clear that behavioral prevention avenues must continue to receive due consideration as a viable HIV/AIDS prevention approach. The papers collected here make a valuable contribution to "combination prevention" efforts to curb HIV spread.

Reducing HIV Risks in the Places Where People Drink: Prevention Interventions in Alcohol Venues

Apart from individual alcohol drinking behavior, the context or places where people drink play a significant role in HIV transmission risk. In this paper, we review the research that has been conducted on alcohol venues to identify the social and structural factors (e.g., social norms, sexual behavior) that are associated with HIV risk in these places, to review HIV prevention interventions based in alcohol venues, and to discuss appropriate methodologies for alcohol venue research. Alcohol venues are defined here as places that sell or serve alcohol for onsite consumption, including bars, bottle stores, nightclubs, wine shops, and informal shebeens. Despite the many established HIV risk factors at play in alcohol venues, limited prevention strategies have been implemented in such places. A total of 11 HIV prevention interventions or programs were identified. HIV prevention interventions in alcohol venues may be conducted at the individual, social, or structural level. However, multilevel interventions that target more than one level appear to lead to the most sustainable behavior change. Strategies to incorporate alcohol venues in biomedical prevention strategies including antiretroviral therapy for alcohol users are also discussed.

Structural Determinants of Client Perpetrated Violence Among Female Sex Workers in Two Mexico-U.S. Border Cities

Female sex workers (FSWs) are disproportionately affected by both HIV and gender-based violence, such as that perpetrated by clients (CPV). We used a structural determinants framework to assess correlates of physical or sexual CPV in the past 6 months among FSWs in the Mexico/U.S. border cities of Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis identified individual, client, interpersonal, work environment and macrostructural factors associated with recent CPV. Among 496 FSWs, 5 % experienced recent CPV. Witnessing violence towards other FSWs in one's neighborhood (aOR 5.6, 95 % CI 1.8-17.2), having a majority of foreign (aOR 3.5, 95 % CI 1.4-8.4) or substance using (aOR 4.0, 95 % CI 1.5-10.4) clients, and being a street worker (aOR 3.0, 95 % CI 1.1-7.7) were independently associated with recent CPV. Our findings underscore the vulnerability of FSWs and the need to design policies and interventions addressing macro-level influences on CPV rather than exclusively targeting individual behaviors.

Work environments and HIV prevention: a qualitative review and meta-synthesis of sex worker narratives

Background

Sex workers (SWs) experience a disproportionately high burden of HIV, with evidence indicating that complex and dynamic factors within work environments play a critical role in mitigating or producing HIV risks in sex work. In light of sweeping policy efforts to further criminalize sex work globally, coupled with emerging calls for structural responses situated in labour and human-rights frameworks, this meta-synthesis of the qualitative and ethnographic literature sought to examine SWs’ narratives to elucidate the ways in which physical, social and policy features of diverse work environments influence SWs’ agency to engage in HIV prevention.

Methods

We conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative and ethnographic studies published from 2008 to 2014 to elucidate SWs’ narratives and lived experiences of the complex and nuanced ways in which physical, social, and policy features of indoor and outdoor work environments shape HIV prevention in the sex industry.

Results

Twenty-four qualitative and/or ethnographic studies were included in this meta-synthesis. SWs’ narratives revealed the nuanced ways that physical, social, and policy features of work environments shaped HIV risk and interacted with macrostructural constraints (e.g., criminalization, stigma) and community determinants (e.g., sex worker empowerment initiatives) to shape SWs’ agency in negotiating condom use. SWs’ narratives revealed the ways in which the existence of occupational health and safety standards in indoor establishments, as well as protective practices of third parties (e.g., condom promotion) and other SWs/peers were critical ways of enhancing safety and sexual risk negotiation within indoor work environments. Additionally, working in settings where negative interactions with law enforcement were minimized (e.g., working in decriminalized contexts or environments in which peers/managers successfully deterred unjust policing practices) was critical for supporting SWs’ agency to negotiate HIV prevention.

Conclusions

Policy reforms to remove punitive approaches to sex work, ensure supportive workplace standards and policies, and foster SWs’ ability to work collectively are recommended to foster the realization of SWs’ health and human rights across diverse settings. Future qualitative and mixed-methods research is recommended to ensure that HIV policies and programmes are grounded in SWs’ voices and realities, particularly in more under-represented regions such as Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2491-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Risk environments facing potential users of a supervised injection site in Ottawa, Canada

Background

Supervised injection sites (SISs) have been effective in reducing health risks among people who inject drugs (PWID), including those who face issues of homelessness, mental health illness, interactions with local policing practices, and HIV infection. We investigate the risk behaviours and risk environments currently faced by potential users of an SIS in Ottawa to establish the need for such a service and to contribute to the design of an SIS that can address current health risks and reduce harm.

Methods

The PROUD cohort is a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project that examines the HIV risk environment among people who use drugs in Ottawa. From March to October 2013, 593 people who reported using injection drugs or smoking crack cocaine were enrolled through street-based recruitment in the ByWard Market neighbourhood, an area of the city with a high concentration of public drug use and homelessness. Participants completed a demographic, behavioural, and risk environment questionnaire and were offered HIV point-of-care testing. We undertook descriptive and univariate analyses to estimate potential use of an SIS by PWID in Ottawa and to explore risk behaviours and features of the risk environment faced by potential users of the service.

Results

Of those participants who reported injecting drugs in the previous 12 months (n = 270), 75.2 % (203) reported a willingness to use an SIS in Ottawa. Among potential SIS users, 24.6 % had recently injected with a used needle, 19.0 % had trouble accessing new needles, 60.6 % were unstably housed, 49.8 % had been redzoned by the police, and 12.8 % were HIV positive. Participants willing to use an SIS more frequently injected in public (OR = 1.98, 95 % CI = 1.06–3.70), required assistance to inject (OR = 1.84, 95 % CI = 1.00–3.38), were hepatitis C positive (OR = 2.13, 95 % CI = 1.16–3.91), had overdosed in the previous year (OR = 2.00, 95 % CI = 1.02–3.92), and identified as LGBTQ (OR = 5.61, 95 % CI = 1.30–24.19).

Conclusion

An SIS in Ottawa would be well-positioned to reach its target group of highly marginalized PWID and reduce drug-related harms. The application of CBPR methods to a large-scale quantitative survey supported the mobilization of communities of PWID to identify and advocate for their own service needs, creating an enabling environment for harm reduction action.

Heterosexual men who patronise entertainment establishments versus brothels in an Asian urban setting - which group practises riskier sexual behaviours?

BACKGROUND

Sex work has shifted from brothels to entertainment establishments (EEs) in Asia. Men who patronise EEs could act as a bridging population for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission through unprotected sex with the female EE workers to their spouses and regular partners. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and factors associated with risky sexual behaviours among the heterosexual men who patronised the EEs and brothels in Singapore.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional survey involving 569 heterosexual men (297 recruited from brothels and 272 from EEs). A 2-stage sampling involving proportional stratified random sampling of the brothels and EEs, followed by time location sampling of the men, was conducted. For multivariable analysis, we used a mixed effects logistic model with backward elimination to account for clustering by venue and to obtain the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the association of various factors with consistent condom use in vaginal and oral sex respectively.

RESULTS

Men who patronised EEs were younger, more likely to be single, more highly-educated and comprised more professionals compared to the brothel group. On multivariable analysis, consistent condom use for vaginal sex decreased at the EE setting (aOR 0.64; 95 % CI: 0.42 -0.97) and with alcohol use before sex (aOR 0.67; 95 % CI: 0.46 - 0.98) and increased with perceived high risk of getting HIV/STIs from partner (aOR 2.08; 95 % CI: 1.30 - 3.32) and partner's request for condom use (aOR 5.48; 95 % CI: 1.20 - 25.11). For consistent condom use with oral sex, this decreased at the EE setting (aOR 0.64; 95 % CI: 0.39 - 0.98) and with alcohol use before sex (aOR 0.50; 95 % CI: 0.31 - 0.81) and increased with partner's request for condom use (aOR 5.19; 95 % CI: 1.38 - 19.57).

CONCLUSIONS

Men who patronised EEs practised risker sexual behaviours compared to the brothel group. Priority should be given for intervention programmes to target men who patronise EEs, which could involve the female EE workers, the EE owners as well as the managers for effective HIV/STI prevention.

Substance Use and HIV Among Female Sex Workers and Female Prisoners: Risk Environments and Implications for Prevention, Treatment, and Policies

Female sex workers (FSWs) and female prisoners experience elevated HIV prevalence relative to the general population because of unprotected sex and unsafe drug use practices, but the antecedents of these behaviors are often structural in nature. We review the literature on HIV risk environments for FSWs and female prisoners, highlighting similarities and differences in the physical, social, economic, and policy/legal environments that need to be understood to optimize HIV prevention, treatment, and policy responses. Sex work venues, mobility, gender norms, stigma, debt, and the laws and policies governing sex work are important influences in the HIV risk environment among FSWs, affecting their exposure to violence and ability to practice safer sex and safer drug use behaviors. Female prisoners are much more likely to have a drug problem than do male prisoners and have higher HIV prevalence, yet are much less likely to have access to HIV prevention and treatment and access to drug treatment in prison. Women who trade sex or are imprisoned and engage in substance use should not be considered in separate silos because sex workers have high rates of incarceration and many female prisoners have a history of sex work. Repeated cycles of arrest, incarceration, and release can be socially and economically destabilizing for women, exacerbating their HIV risk. This dynamic interplay requires a multisectoral approach to HIV prevention and treatment that appreciates and respects that not all women are willing, able, or want to stop sex work or drug use. Women who engage in sex work, use drugs, or are imprisoned come from all communities and deserve sustained access to HIV prevention and treatment for substance use and HIV, helping them and their families to lead healthy and satisfying lives.

Streets, strolls and spots: sex work, drug use and social space in Detroit

BACKGROUND

In this paper, we explore social spaces related to street sex work and illicit drug use in Detroit. We consider these spaces as assemblages (Duff, 2011, 2013; Latour, 2005) that reflect the larger moral geography (Hubbard, 2012) of the city and fulfill specific functions in the daily lives of drug using sex workers.

METHODS

We draw on thirty-one in-depth qualitative interviews with former street sex workers who were recruited through a court-based treatment and recovery program, as well as ethnographic field notes from drug treatment and law enforcement settings.

RESULTS

Our interview findings reveal highly organized and routine activities that exist in a relatively stable, symbiotic relationship with law enforcement practices, employment and commuter patterns, and built environments. While the daily life of street sex work involves a good deal of individual agency in terms of moving between spaces and negotiating terms of exchange, daily trajectories were also circumscribed by economics, illicit substance use, and the objective risks of the street and the police.

CONCLUSION

We consider the implications of these results for future policy directed at harm reduction in the street setting.

Mobile phones and sex work in South India: the emerging role of mobile phones in condom use by female sex workers in two Indian states

The aim of this study was to examine female sex workers' solicitation of clients using mobile phones and the association between this and condom use with clients. Cross-sectional data were utilised to address the study's aim, drawing on data collected from female sex workers in Calicut, Kerala, and Chirala, Andhra Pradesh. Use of mobile phone solicitation was reported by 46.3% (n = 255) of Kerala participants and 78.7% (n = 464) of those in Andhra Pradesh. Kerala participants reporting exclusive solicitation using mobile phones demonstrated 1.67 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.01-2.79) of inconsistent condom use than those reporting non-use of mobile phones for solicitation. However, those reporting exclusive solicitation through mobile phones in Andhra Pradesh reported lower odds of inconsistent condom use (OR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.26) than those not using mobile phones for solicitation. Findings indicate that solicitation of clients using mobile phones facilitates or hampers consistency in condom use with clients depending on the context, and how mobile phones are incorporated into solicitation practices. Variations in sex work environments, including economic dependence on sex work or lack thereof may partially account for the different effects found.

HIV infection among female sex workers in concentrated and high prevalence epidemics: why a structural determinants framework is needed

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article reviews the current state of the epidemiological literature on female sex work and HIV from the past 18 months. We offer a conceptual framework for structural HIV determinants and sex work that unpacks intersecting structural, interpersonal, and individual biological and behavioural factors.

RECENT FINDINGS

Our review suggests that despite the heavy HIV burden among female sex workers (FSWs) globally, data on the structural determinants shaping HIV transmission dynamics have only begun to emerge. Emerging research suggests that factors operating at macrostructural (e.g., migration, stigma, criminalized laws), community organization (e.g., empowerment) and work environment levels (e.g., violence, policing, access to condoms HIV testing, HAART) act dynamically with interpersonal (e.g., dyad factors, sexual networks) and individual biological and behavioural factors to confer risks or protections for HIV transmission in female sex work.

SUMMARY

Future research should be guided by a Structural HIV Determinants Framework to better elucidate the complex and iterative effects of structural determinants with interpersonal and individual biological and behavioural factors on HIV transmission pathways among FSWs, and meet critical gaps in optimal access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care for FSWs globally.

The role of visual markers in police victimization among structurally vulnerable persons in Tijuana, Mexico

BACKGROUND

Law enforcement can shape HIV risk behaviours and undermine strategies aimed at curbing HIV infection. Little is known about factors that increase vulnerability to police victimization in Mexico. This study identifies correlates of police or army victimization (i.e., harassment or assault) in the past 6 months among patients seeking care at a free clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.

METHODS

From January to May 2013, 601 patients attending a binational student-run free clinic completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Eligible participants were: (1) ≥18 years old; (2) seeking care at the clinic; and (3) spoke Spanish or English. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with police/army victimization in the past 6 months.

RESULTS

More than one-third (38%) of participants reported victimization by police/army officials in the past 6 months in Tijuana. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, males (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.68; 95% CI: 2.19-6.19), tattooed persons (AOR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.04-2.33) and those who injected drugs in the past 6 months (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.29-3.43) were significantly more likely to report past 6-month police/army victimization. Recent feelings of rejection (AOR: 3.80; 95% CI: 2.47-5.85) and being denied employment (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.50-3.32) were also independently associated with police/army victimization.

CONCLUSION

Structural interventions aimed at reducing stigma against vulnerable populations and increasing social incorporation may aid in reducing victimization events by police/army in Tijuana. Police education and training to reduce abusive policing practices may be warranted.

Syphilis and its correlates among heterosexual males attending sexually transmitted infection clinics - observation from a multicity cohort in Jiangsu Province, China

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of HIV and syphilis, incidence of syphilis and to identify the correlates of syphilis infection among heterosexual male attendees of sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics (MSC).

Methods

A cohort study of one-year duration was conducted in Yangzhou and Changzhou cities in Jiangsu province of China. The baseline survey commenced in June 2009, recruited 1225 consenting adult MSCs (609 in Yangzhou and 617 in Changzhou) through STI-clinic based convenience sampling.

Results

Baseline HIV and syphilis prevalence were 0.49% and 17.29% respectively. Syphilis incidence rate was 7.22 per 100 person-years (6.53 in Yangzhou and 7.76 in Changzhou) during the 6-month follow-up with retention fractions of 27.38% and 35.15% for Yangzhou and Changzhou respectively. Majority of the participants were middle-aged, high school educated, married, living with partners and non-migrants. Very few subjects reported recent and consistent condom-use with regular partners. Although considerable number of MSCs reported recent sexual exposure with female sex workers (FSW) and non-FSW casual partners, the proportion of reported condom use was very low during those exposures. In multivariate analyses higher age, having recent sex with FSWs and being HIV-positive were associated with higher syphilis sero-positivity while higher education was protective. In bivariate analyses, being married, divorced/widowed, official residency of the study cities and non-use of condom with regular partners predicted higher risk.

Conclusions

Considering the potential bridging role of MSCs between high and low-risk populations, effective intervention strategies among them targeting the correlates of syphilis infection are urgently called for in Jiangsu province of China.

"People knew they could come here to get help": an ethnographic study of assisted injection practices at a peer-run 'unsanctioned' supervised drug consumption room in a Canadian setting

People who require help injecting are disproportionately vulnerable to drug-related harm, including HIV transmission. North America's only sanctioned SIF operates in Vancouver, Canada under an exemption to federal drug laws, which imposes operating regulations prohibiting assisted injections. In response, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) launched a peer-run unsanctioned SIF in which trained peer volunteers provide assisted injections to increase the coverage of supervised injection services and minimize drug-related harm. We undertook qualitative interviews (n = 23) and ethnographic observation (50 h) to explore how this facility shaped assisted injection practices. Findings indicated that VANDU reshaped the social, structural, and spatial contexts of assisted injection practices in a manner that minimized HIV and other health risks, while allowing people who require help injecting to escape drug scene violence. Findings underscore the need for changes to regulatory frameworks governing SIFs to ensure that they accommodate people who require help injecting.

Context matters: the moderating role of bar context in the association between substance use during sex and condom use among male clients of female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana is situated on Mexico's northern border with the U.S., where sex work is quasi-legal. Whereas previous work has focused on the risk behaviors of female sex workers (FSWs), less is known about the risk behaviors of their male clients. Further, research has not examined structural factors as moderators of the association between substance use and condom use, including the contexts in which sex takes place. The purpose of the current study is to examine whether having sex with FSWs in a bar moderates the link between alcohol intoxication during sex and condom use. We recruited 375 male clients of FSWs in Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego, California and Tijuana. Using computer assisted interviewing, we surveyed participants on their alcohol use, condom use, and physical contexts of sex with FSWs in the past 4 months. Results showed that more frequent intoxication during sex with FSWs is associated with more unprotected sex, but only among clients having sex with FSWs in a bar context. Results point to potential reasons for inconsistent condom use with FSWs in this context, including lower risk perceptions of sex with FSWs in bars. Future research should examine structural factors that underlie clients' risk behavior in bars in order to inform structural-level HIV prevention interventions.

A systematic review of alcohol use and sexual risk-taking in Latin America

OBJECTIVE

To provide an account of published literature on the association between alcohol use and sexual risk-taking, focusing on Latin America.

METHODS

A search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, LILACS, and Cochrane databases identified 561 unique articles. After excluding those that were not directly relevant, 30 studies were retained for review.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven studies showed direct or indirect associations between alcohol abuse and unprotected/risky sex. Three studies, however, showed no association between these variables, suggesting that the public health message of safer sex may have been effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is needed to identify factors and behaviors that could be modified to reduce the association between alcohol use disorders and risky sexual behavior.

Client demands for unsafe sex: the socioeconomic risk environment for HIV among street and off-street sex workers

OBJECTIVE

Among sex workers (SWs) in Vancouver, Canada, this study identified social, drug use, sex work, environmental-structural, and client-related factors associated with being offered and accepting more money after clients' demand for sex without a condom.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study using baseline (February 2010 to October 2011) data from a longitudinal cohort of 510 SWs.

METHODS

A 2-part multivariable regression model was used to identify factors associated with 2 separate outcomes: (1) being offered more money for sex without a condom in the last 6 months; and (2) accepting more money, among those who had been offered more money.

RESULTS

The sample included 490 SWs. In multivariable analysis, being offered more money for sex without a condom was more likely for SWs who used speedballs, had higher average numbers of clients per week, had difficulty accessing condoms, and had clients who visited other SWs. Accepting more money for sex without a condom was more likely for SWs self-reporting as a sexual minority and who had experienced client violence and used crystal methamphetamine less than daily (versus none) and less likely for SWs who solicited mainly indoors for clients (versus outdoor/public places).

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the high demand for sex without a condom by clients of SWs. HIV prevention efforts should shift responsibility toward clients to reduce offers of more money for unsafe sex. Programs that mitigate the social and economic risk environments of SWs alongside the removal of criminal sanctions on sex work to enable condom use within safer indoor workspaces are urgently required.

Individual, interpersonal, and social-structural correlates of involuntary sex exchange among female sex workers in two Mexico-U.S. border cities

BACKGROUND

To investigate individual, interpersonal, and social-structural factors associated with involuntary sex exchange among female sex workers (FSWs) along the Mexico-U.S. border.

METHODS

In 2010 to 2011, 214 FSWs from Tijuana (n = 106) and Ciudad Juarez (n = 108) aged ≥ 18 years who reported lifetime use of heroin, cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine, having a stable partner, and having sold/traded sex in the past month completed quantitative surveys and HIV/sexually transmitted infection testing. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of involuntary sex exchange among FSWs.

RESULTS

Of 214 FSWs, 31 (14.5%) reported involuntary sex exchange These women were younger at sex industry entry [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.84/1-year increase, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72 to 0.97] and were significantly more likely to service clients whom they perceived to be HIV/sexually transmitted infection-infected (AOR: 12.41, 95% CI: 3.15 to 48.91). In addition, they were more likely to have clients who used drugs (AOR: 7.88, 95% CI: 1.52 to 41.00), report poor working conditions (AOR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.03 to 10.31), and report a history of rape (AOR: 4.46, 95% CI: 1.43 to 13.91).

CONCLUSIONS

Involuntary sex exchange is disproportionate among FSWs who begin to exchange sex at a younger age, and these women experience elevated risk of violence and HIV/STIs related to their clients' behaviors and their working conditions. These data suggest the critical need for evidence-based approaches to preventing sexual exploitation of women and girls and to reducing harm among current sex workers. Multilevel interventions for all females who exchange sex and their clients that target interpersonal and social-structural risks (eg, measures to improve safety and reduce exploitation within the workplace) are needed.

The longitudinal association of venue stability with consistent condom use among female sex workers in two Mexico-USA border cities

We examined the relationship between venue stability and consistent condom use (CCU) among female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs; n = 584) and were enrolled in a behavioural intervention in two Mexico-USA border cities. Using a generalized estimating equation approach stratified by client type and city, we found venue stability affected CCU. In Tijuana, operating primarily indoors was significantly associated with a four-fold increase in the odds of CCU among regular clients (odds ratio [OR]: 3.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44, 9.89), and a seven-fold increase among casual clients (OR: 7.18, 95% CI: 2.32, 22.21), relative to FSW-IDUs spending equal time between indoor and outdoor sex work venues. In Ciudad Juarez, the trajectory of CCU increased over time and was highest among those operating primarily indoors. Results from this analysis highlight the importance of considering local mobility, including venue type and venue stability, as these characteristics jointly influence HIV risk behaviours.

Venue-level correlates of female sex worker registration status: a multilevel analysis of bars in Tijuana, Mexico

In Tijuana, Mexico, sex work is regulated by the municipal government, through registration cards issued to female sex workers (FSWs) for an annual fee. Registration has been associated with decreased drug use and increase condom use and HIV testing. Previously, it was demonstrated that FSWs operating in bars were more likely than street-based FSWs to be registered. This implies that certain venues may be more accessible to local authorities for the enforcement of this type of programme. Taking a novel multilevel approach, we examined whether venue characteristics of bars reflecting greater organised management and visibility affect registration status of FSWs. In an analysis of venue-level characteristics, predictors of being registered were availability of free condoms at work and distance to the main sex strip; however, these were not independently associated after inclusion of FSWs' income, illicit drug use and history of HIV testing. Our findings suggest that sex work regulations may inadvertently exclude venues in which the more vulnerable and less visible FSWs, such as injection drug users and those with limited financial resources, are situated. Efforts to revise or reconsider sex work regulations to ensure that they best promote FSWs' health, human and labour rights are recommended.

The relationship between attending alcohol serving venues nearby versus distant to one's residence and sexual risk taking in a South African township

South Africa remains a country with one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS at 18% among 15-49 year olds. Underdeveloped urban areas, or townships, are particularly hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Alcohol use in these townships has been established as an important risk factor for HIV transmission. Likewise, alcohol serving venues (shebeens) have been identified as sites where substance abuse and sexual risk taking occur. However, little is known about how proximity of alcohol serving establishments (shebeens) to one's residence may be related to sexual risk-taking We surveyed 3,261 men and women attending shebeens in a township located in Cape Town, South Africa. We investigated the relationships between attending nearby (<15 min walk) versus distant (>15 min walk) shebeens, and sex and substance abuse related risk-taking. Women who attended distant shebeens versus nearby shebeens relative to their residence were approximately twice as likely to report HIV positive status. Bivariate analyses demonstrated that these women were also more likely to report other sexually transmitted infections, greater numbers of sex partners, higher rates of alcohol and drug use, and seeking out new sex partners at shebeen. No differences in sex behavior, substance use or HIV/STI were identified among men. Proximity of shebeens appears to be an important contextual factor in explaining HIV/STI transmission risk-taking. Future studies should focus on how anonymity may be related to sexual risk and substance use behaviors among women in South African townships.

Sex work and its associations with alcohol and methamphetamine use among female bar and spa workers in the Philippines

To assess the prevalence of sex work and its associations with substance use among female bar/spa workers in the Philippines (N = 498), workers from 54 bar or spa venues in Metro Manila (2009-2010) were surveyed on demographics, drug/alcohol use, abuse history, and sex work. Their median age was 23 years and 35% engaged in sex work. Sex work was independently associated with methamphetamine use (19% vs 4%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-6.2), alcohol use with patrons (49% vs. 27%; AOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.4), and alcohol intoxication during sex (50% vs. 24%; AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.5), but inversely associated with daily alcohol use (13% vs. 16%; AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.5). Additional significant covariates included sexual abuse history, younger age, and not having a higher education. Findings suggest that interventions with sex workers in bars and spas should focus on methamphetamine use, alcohol use contexts, and violence victimization, to better meet the needs of this population.

The impact of social, structural and physical environmental factors on transitions into employment among people who inject drugs

Despite growing awareness of the importance of context for the health of people who use drugs, studies examining labour market outcomes have rarely considered the role that physical, social and structural factors play in shaping labour market participation among drug users. Using discrete time event history analyses, we assessed associations between high-intensity substance use, individual drug use-related risk and features of inner-city drug use scenes with transitions into regular employment. Data were derived from a community-recruited cohort of people who inject drugs in Vancouver, Canada (n = 1579) spanning the period of May 1996-May 2005. Results demonstrate that systematic socio-demographic differences in labour market outcomes in this context generally correspond to dimensions of demographic disadvantage. Additionally, in initial analyses, high-intensity substance use is negatively associated with transitions into employment. However, this negative association loses significance when indicators measuring exposure to physical, social and structural features of the broader risk environment are considered. These findings indicate that interventions designed to improve employment outcomes among drug users should address these social, structural and physical components of the risk environment as well as promote the cessation of drug use.

Situating HIV risk in the lives of formerly trafficked female sex workers on the Mexico-US border

Due to stigma and the psychosocial repercussions of past trauma and abuse, survivors of sex trafficking may experience increased susceptibility to violence, revictimization, and various harmful health outcomes, including HIV infection. Given the paucity of research characterizing the experiences of formerly trafficked female sex workers (FSWs), we set out to describe and contextualize perceptions of HIV risk among women who have experienced past episodes of sex trafficking and who are currently engaged in sex work in Tijuana, Mexico. Based on semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork, we describe the following interrelated themes as influencing formerly trafficked FSWs' perceptions and experiences of HIV risk: economic vulnerability; susceptibility to violence; and psychological trauma. Our findings highlight the need for HIV prevention efforts to incorporate broader structural and social interventions aimed at reducing vulnerability to violence and human rights abuses among this population and improving their general economic, psychological, and social well-being.

Exploring the impact of underage sex work among female sex workers in two Mexico-US border cities

Although sex work and younger age increase HIV vulnerability, empirical data regarding the impacts of underage sex work are lacking. We explored associations between features of the risk environment, sex work, and drug use history, and underage sex work entry among 624 female sex workers (FSWs) in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Forty-one percent (n = 253) of women began sex work as minors, among whom HIV and any STI/HIV prevalence were 5.2 and 60.7%. Factors independently associated with increased odds of underage sex work were inhalants as the first drug used, forced first injection, number of drug treatment attempts, and recent receptive syringe sharing. Number of recent condom negotiation attempts with steady partners and depression as a reason for first injecting were negatively associated with underage entry. These results underscore the importance of efforts to prevent underage sex work and the wider factors contributing to HIV risk among vulnerable youth and underage FSWs.

"Because he has bought for her, he wants to sleep with her": alcohol as a currency for sexual exchange in South African drinking venues

Previous research has documented the practice of transactional sex in sub-Saharan Africa and its association with gender-based violence, gender inequalities and HIV risk. At the same time, it has been suggested that women may use transactional sex to obtain a greater sense of control over their lives and their sexualities, and to garner access to resources. The aim of this study was to better understand the practice of exchanging alcohol for sex in alcohol-serving venues in a township in Cape Town, South Africa. Data were collected between June 2009 and October 2010. Six venues were included and observations were conducted in each for four one-week periods over the course of a year. In-depth qualitative interviews included 31 women and 13 men whom interviewers had observed as regular venue customers. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 24 respondents to explore emerging themes. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Using a grounded theory approach, Atlas.ti was used to code transcripts, field notes, and analytical memos written about each document. Results revealed that alcohol was commonly used as a currency of sexual exchange in this setting, and both women and men understood that accepting alcohol from a man implied consent for sexual favors. Women reported a sense of agency in participating in the transactional sex dynamic, especially when they were able to manipulate it to meet their own ends without fulfilling the men's sexual expectations. At the same time, data revealed that the norm of transactional sex reinforced the undervaluing and commoditization of women. As identified elsewhere, transactional sex put both women and men at greater risk of HIV through multiple partners and inconsistent use of condoms, and the possibility of rape. Interventions are needed to address sexual risk behaviors and substance use within this context to prevent new HIV infections.