Allen CF, Cannings D, Kitson-Piggott W, Souza KD, Edwards M, Wagner HU, Swain M, Trotman C; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. TuPeF5338.
Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
BACKGROUND: Since 1996, the Guyana National AIDS Programme (NAP) has implemented a health promotion strategy among female sex workers in Georgetown, Guyana. A survey was conducted in Georgetown in 2000 to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV and behaviours associated with risk among female sex workers. METHODS: A women's NGO provided fieldwork training to four sex workers who had previously been trained as peer educators by the NAP and four members of Red Thread who had worked with sex workers in Georgetown. Snowballing yielded a sample of 299 sex workers from sites of sex worker activity. Fieldworkers took samples of oral fluid for HIV testing and conducted interviews using a structured questionnaire. The HIV tests and interviews were anonymous but the data were linked. RESULTS: All sex workers approached to participate in the survey consented and provided interview data and an oral fluid sample. The volume of oral fluid sample collected from 47 women was inadequate for HIV testing. Of those tested (n=252), 31 percent were HIV positive. Factors positively associated with HIV infection were (p<0.05): finding clients on the streets or in hotels/ brothels (as opposed to discos, ships and through referrals); alcohol abuse and crack/ cocaine use; anal sex, and having had treatment for syphilis in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: Employing sex workers and women with experience of working with sex workers maximised participation of potential respondents. Using oral fluid rather than blood for HIV testing reduced reliance on highly trained (and expensive) health workers, and being minimally invasive was acceptable to research subjects. Interviews were begun while oral fluid collection pads were in respondents' mouths and some pads consequently may not have absorbed sufficient fluid. Joint programmes should be developed between providers of substance abuse/ addiction and HIV-related services. Condom promotion with sex workers should address anal sex.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Condoms
- Crack Cocaine
- Female
- Guyana
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- HIV Seroprevalence
- Humans
- Interviews as Topic
- Peer Group
- Population Groups
- Prostitution
- Questionnaires
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Sexual Behavior
- Substance-Related Disorders
- Syphilis
Other ID:
UI: 102251893
From Meeting Abstracts