Knowledge, risk perceptions and condom usage in male sex workers from three Australian cities

Condomless Anal Sex Between Male Sex Workers and Clients in the Age of Hookup Apps

Among men who have sex with men (MSM), those who also engage in the exchange of sex for money, drugs, shelter or other material goods (i.e., male sex workers-MSWs) have been found to have higher rates of condomless anal sex (CAS), HIV, and STIs than MSM who do not engage in exchange sex. To gain a better understanding of the factors that influence MSWs' engagement in CAS with male clients, we analyzed qualitative interview data from a diverse sample of 141 MSWs from 8 U.S. cities who met clients primarily through hookup or dating apps/websites and who reported having condomless anal sex with at least one of their exchange sex partners in the prior three months. While high client demand and financial incentives were the most frequently mentioned reasons for engaging in CAS with clients, other factors including drug and alcohol use, attraction to the client, the heat of the moment, concerns about sexual performance, and reliance on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) were also important. Participants who engaged in CAS generally felt that due to client characteristics or mitigating steps they had taken themselves, their chance of acquiring HIV/STIs was acceptably low. Hookup or dating apps/websites have provided an additional and increasingly popular venue for exchange sex to be arranged. These platforms also offer an opportunity for HIV/STI prevention through interventions and tailored messages delivered through these venues that address the motivations, misconceptions and/or situational factors that may lead to CAS.

Online transgender Sex Work and Public Health. A Netnographic Study in Tenerife

The purpose of this study is to understand and describe the nature of internet advertisements of transgender sex workers, and how demand drives the configuration of their services. An analysis of the offer-demand contents (n = 257) was carried out on a sexual contact website. Five categories were identified: sociodemographic characteristics, supply management, sexual services, health and clients. The results include risk factors associated with public health and social exclusion within this group. The results may inform strategies for developing socio-health interventions targeted towards transgender women in the situation of prostitution.

A Content Analysis of Health and Safety Communications Among Internet-Based Sex Work Advertisements: Important Information for Public Health

Background

The capacity to advertise via the Internet continues to contribute to the shifting dynamics in adult commercial sex work. eHealth interventions have shown promise to promote Internet-based sex workers’ health and safety internationally, yet minimal attention has been paid in Canada to developing such interventions. Understanding the information communicated in Internet-based sex work advertisements is a critical step in knowledge development to inform such interventions.

Objective

The purpose of this content analysis was to increase our understanding of the health and safety information within the Internet advertisements among women, men, and transgender sex workers and to describe how this information may be utilized to inform eHealth service development for this population.

Methods

A total of 75 Internet-based sex worker advertisements (45 women, 24 men, and 6 transgender persons) were purposefully selected from 226 advertisements collected as part of a larger study in Western Canada. Content analysis was employed to guide data extraction about demographic characteristics, sexual services provided, service restrictions, health practices and concerns, safety and security, and business practices. Frequencies for each variable were calculated and further classified by gender. Thematic analysis was then undertaken to situate the communications within the social and commercialized contexts of the sex industry.

Results

Four communications themes were identified: (1) demographic characteristics; (2) sexual services; (3) health; and (4) safety and security. White was the most common ethnicity (46/75, 61%) of advertisements. It was found that 20-29 years of age accounted for 32 of the 51 advertisements that provided age. Escort, the only legal business title, was the most common role title used (48/75, 64%). In total, 85% (64/75) of advertisements detailed lists of sexual services provided and 41% (31/75) of advertisements noted never offering uncovered services (ie, no condom). Gender and the type of Web-based platform mattered for information communicated. It was found that 35 of the 45 women’s advertisements were situated in personal websites and hosted details about nonsexual aspects of an appointment. Men and transworkers used Internet classified advertisement platforms with predetermined categories. Communications about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occurred in only 16% (12/75) of advertisements with men accounting for 7. Women’s advertisements accounted for 26 of the 37 advertisements noting safety restrictions. Zero men or transpersons restricted alcohol or drug use. In total, 75% (56/75) of advertisements offered out-call services and the average minimal hourly rate ranged from Can $140/h to Can $200/h.

Conclusions

The study findings contribute to understandings about the diverse platforms used in commercial sex advertisements, and how sex workers frame information for potential clients. This information affords health care providers and policy makers insights to how they might assist with promoting the health of Internet-based sex workers and their clients.

The association between HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and perception of risk for infection: a systematic review

This systematic review tries to elucidate the association between what people know about HIV/AIDS and how they perceive their risk of infection. The initial search for articles yielded 1,595 abstracts, 16 of which met the inclusion criteria. Five studies found a positive correlation, four reported a negative correlation and seven found no association between knowledge and risk perception. It was found that the existing psychometrically sound measure of HIV/AIDS risk perception had not been used in any of the studies. The context in which the risk is assessed is pivotal to whether an association between knowledge and the perceived risk is found. Biases in judgement such as optimistic bias, psychological distancing, anchoring bias and overconfidence also explain how knowledge may fail to predict risk perception. It was concluded that the association between HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk perception might follow a continuum from positive to no association and finally to negative. The hypothesis, however, still needs to be studied further.

Technology, normalisation and male sex work

Technological change, particularly the growth of the Internet and smart phones, has increased the visibility of male escorts, expanded their client base and diversified the range of venues in which male sex work can take place. Specifically, the Internet has relocated some forms of male sex work away from the street and thereby increased market reach, visibility and access and the scope of sex work advertising. Using the online profiles of 257 male sex workers drawn from six of the largest websites advertising male sexual services in Australia, the role of the Internet in facilitating the normalisation of male sex work is discussed. Specifically we examine how engagement with the sex industry has been reconstituted in term of better informed consumer-seller decisions for both clients and sex workers. Rather than being seen as a 'deviant' activity, understood in terms of pathology or criminal activity, male sex work is increasingly presented as an everyday commodity in the market place. In this context, the management of risks associated with sex work has shifted from formalised social control to more informal practices conducted among online communities of clients and sex workers. We discuss the implications for health, legal and welfare responses within an empowerment paradigm.

Decision Processes about Condom Use among Shelter-Homeless LGBT Youth in Manhattan

Health behavior interventions based on Theory of Planned Behavior address participants' personally-held beliefs, perceived social norms, and control over the behavior. New data are always needed to "member check" participants' decision processes and inform interventions. This qualitative study investigates decision processes around condom use among 81 homeless LGBT youth ages 18-26. Findings indicated considerable endorsement of the conventional policy of always using condoms, promulgated in HIV prevention education targeting this population. Although some participants reported risk behavior in contexts of sex work, survival sex, casual encounters, open relationships, and substance use, most were aware of these risks and consistently safe in those situations. Condoms use boundaries became vulnerable in states of emotional need and negative mood. The only effect participants acknowledged of homelessness on condom use was indirect, through negative mood states. The most prevalent context of condom non-use was with long-term primary partners, a potential area of vulnerability because, of 13 participants for HIV or HCV, nine mentioned how they had been infected, and all nine believed they had acquired it from a primary partner. Findings imply programs should emphasize HIV risk potential within long-term romantic partnerships and mental health services to remediate negative mood states.

Sexual risk behaviors for HIV infection in Spanish male sex workers: differences according to educational level, country of origin and sexual orientation

The stigma associated with male sex workers (MSW) hinders the prevention, treatment, and care of HIV infection in this population. These factors make social and public health resources less accessible to MSW. To improve the effectiveness of prevention strategies, this study examines social factors such as educational level, country of origin, and sexual orientation. Semi-structured interviews of 100 MSW in Castellón and Valencia (Spanish cities) indicate that knowledge of HIV transmission is good; nevertheless, MSW significantly overestimate or underestimate some sexual practices. Levels of condom use are high; notably, they are higher during anal sex. Levels of condom use are lower with intimate partners than with clients. MSW do not present differences in terms of the socio-demographic variables analyzed and sexual orientation. Furthermore, regression analyses are not significant. These results offer more accurate profiles of MSW than were previously available, which will ultimately help improve the effectiveness of prevention programs.

Contextual influences on safer sex negotiation among female sex workers (FSWs) in Hong Kong: the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), FSWs' managers, and clients

Despite social-cognitive interventions to increase safer sex awareness, condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) continued to be inconsistent. To account for the possible influences of contextual factors that may hinder or promote FSWs' safer sex negotiation and condom use, the present study examined the effects of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), FSWs' managers, and clients on FSWs' negotiation efficacy and condom-use efficacy, and the effects of efficacy on condom use. One hundred and nineteen FSWs in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire that focused on their perceived influences of NGOs, managers, and clients toward safer sex negotiation and condom use. Hierarchical regression results showed that whereas NGOs' influence and clients' support were positively related to negotiation self-efficacy, managers' pressure, and clients' pressure were negatively related to negotiation self-efficacy. Managers' pressure was negatively related to condom-use self-efficacy. Logistic regression results showed that FSWs with high condom-use self-efficacy was 24 times more likely to use condom in the previous six months than their counterparts. The present study indicated the importance of social contexts in affecting FSWs' safer sex negotiation and condom-use self-efficacy. Implications on preventive programs for FSWs, managers, and clients were discussed.

Motivational influences on the safer sex behavior of agency-based male sex workers

Although indoor male sex workers (MSWs) have been found to engage in lower rates of HIV risk behavior with clients than street-based MSWs, few studies have examined the motivations behind such practices. We interviewed 30 MSWs working for the same escort agency regarding their safer sex practices with clients and their reasons for these. As in other research, MSWs reported little risk behavior with clients. Five motivational themes related to safer sex on the job emerged: health concerns, emotional intimacy, client attractiveness, relationships, and structural work factors. Results suggest that participants engaged in rational decision-making relative to sex with clients, facilitated by reduced economic incentive for riskier behavior and a supportive social context. MSWs desired a safe sexual work place, personal integrity, and minimal negative consequences to personal relationships. Collaborating with sex work employers to study their role in encouraging a safer workplace may be important to future research.

Maintaining sexual health in commercial sex workers in Australia: condom effectiveness, screening, and management after acquiring sexually transmissible infections

OBJECTIVE

To provide practical advice to health care providers and public health practitioners regarding screening and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in sex workers, and to examine the effectiveness of condoms in reducing transmission of STIs.

METHODS

Medline search using the key words sex workers, prostitutes, condoms and these terms in conjunction with pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (including the names of individual STIs), infectivity, exclusion periods. Additional articles were identified from cited references. Articles were selected on the basis of information provided on efficacy of condoms in STI prevention, prevalence of STIs in sex workers and changes following condom promotion, and advice about management of STIs in infected workers.

RESULTS

Condoms offer some protection (30-90%) against STIs passed in semen, urethral, vaginal or cervical secretions (such as HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia). They give little to no protection (0-30%) against diseases due to skin-to-skin contact such as genital herpes and genital warts. Transmissibility of STIs varies according to the sex of the exposed person and the sexual practice. Condom effectiveness against STIs also varies with gender, and experience and consistency of condom use.

CONCLUSIONS

Sex workers require regular screening for STIs as condom use is not fully protective. Management of sex workers identified with infection requires understanding of the issues faced by sex workers, biological characteristics of the infective organism, treatment efficacy, and test sensitivity and specificity. Advice on frequency of STI testing, supply of medical certificates, management of condom breakage, and management of infected sex workers is proposed.

Responsibility as a dimension of HIV prevention normative beliefs: measurement in three drug-using samples

The concept of responsibility was derived originally from principles of morality, as part of a network of rights, duties and obligations. HIV risk-related studies have suggested that a sense of responsibility for condom use to protect a partner is a potentially important predictor of condom use in drug-using populations. We created a four-item scale measuring Self responsibility to use condoms and Partner's responsibility to use condoms. Data were collected from three drug-using samples: crack smokers, HIV seropositive crack smokers in an intervention study in Houston, Texas, and Tanzanian heroin users in Dar es Salaam. Data indicated that the four responsibility items had high alpha coefficients in each sample, and that there were moderate to high intercorrelations between equivalent self and partner responsibility items. There were significant differences in scale scores between the crack smokers and the HIV positive crack smokers and the Tanzanian samples, but no significant differences between the HIV positive and Tanzanian samples. Comparing within the first crack-smoker sample those who were HIV positive and negative showed significant differences in the direction of higher beliefs in responsibility to use condoms in the HIV positive group. These data suggest that responsibility is measurable, holds similar psychometric properties across three samples differing in culture and HIV serostatus, and that condom use responsibility is conceptualized as a measure of general responsibility rather than as a reciprocal self/partner responsibility.

Male prostitution: pathology, paradigms and progress in research

The body of research on male sex workers (MSWs) in the social science literature has evolved concurrently with the research that de-pathologized homosexuality. Unfortunately, the majority of studies focusing on MSWs have been dominated by paradigms that dehumanize the researched. Psychopathology, social deviance and, with the advent of HIV, MSWs as "vectors of disease," framed research questions. Further, many researchers have focused on typologies of MSWs, reporting respective associated characteristics. However, the knowledge gained by past research was often a product of the places MSWs were sampled; social scientists relied heavily on street MSWs. although other places and venues for sex work existed. What has been learned through this narrow focus has often been generalized to all men engaged in sex work resulting in stigmatization, stereotyping, and demonization. In the past decade, two important developments related to the field of sex work have been introduced. First, researchers have embraced a new paradigm that respects MSWs' personal motivations for sex work. Dominant among these motivations is the view of sex work as a job and, hence, a valid source of income. Second, the Internet has emerged as a new venue for sex work; a venue to which researchers are just beginning to turn their gaze.

Risk of HIV infection among male sex workers in Spain

OBJECTIVE

To assess HIV prevalence and predictive factors for HIV among male sex workers in Spain.

METHODS

In this study we analysed all male sex workers who visited HIV testing clinics in 19 Spanish cities between 2000 and 2002. The information was obtained during examination by means of a brief questionnaire. For repeating testers, only the last confirmed result was taken into account.

RESULTS

418 male sex workers were included in the analysis; 58% visited these clinics for the first time and 42% were repeating testers. 67% were of foreign origin, mostly from Latin America (91%). 96% had had sex with men, 18% were transvestites or transsexuals, and 3.3% had used injected drugs. HIV prevalence was 12.2% (95% CI, 9.3 to 15.8%), and rose to 16.9% among first time testers. No differences in HIV prevalence were found between injecting drug users, transvestites/transsexuals, and men from foreign countries.

CONCLUSION

Because of the high risk of HIV infection, male sex workers should be the target of specific preventive activities. Preventive and healthcare strategies that are culturally adapted to migrants are required.

Sex in Australia: experiences of commercial sex in a representative sample of adults

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of Australian adults' experience of commercial sex.

METHOD

Telephone interviews were completed by a representative sample of 10,173 men and 9,134 women aged 16-59 years (response rate 73.1%; 69.4% men, 77.6% women). Respondents were asked about their experiences both as clients and as sex workers. Socio-demographic and health factors associated with experience of commercial sex were explored for men.

RESULTS

Almost one in six Australian men (15.6%) have ever paid for sex; 1.9% had done so in the past year. Of men who had ever paid for sex, 97% had paid for sex with a woman and 3% for sex with a man. Very few women (0.1%) had ever paid for sex. Twice as many men (0.9%) as women (0.5%) had ever been paid for sex; two-thirds of these men (0.6%) were paid by other men. Condom use during vaginal sex was highest in parlours and brothels and with escorts, and lowest for street sex work. Two-thirds of women who had ever been paid for sex had done so only overseas. One in 10 men who had paid for sex had only done so overseas. Men who had paid for sex were more likely than other men to smoke, to drink more alcohol, to have had a sexually transmitted infection or been tested for HIV, to have more sexual partners, to have first had vaginal intercourse before 16, and to have had heterosexual anal intercourse.

CONCLUSION

Sex work overseas, where condom use may not be common, represents a potential source of HIV or sexually transmitted infection.