Part time female sex workers in a suburban community in Kenya: a vulnerable hidden population.
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Date
2002-08Author
Hawken, MP
Melis, RD
Mandaliya, K
Ng'ang'a, LW
Price, J
Dallabetta, G, Tem
Ngombo, DT
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
BACKGROUND:
In sub-Saharan Africa, female sex workers (FSWs) are a vulnerable high risk group for the acquisition and transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV.
OBJECTIVES:
To study parameters of sexual behaviour and knowledge of STI and HIV, to describe health seeking behaviour related to STI, and to measure the prevalence of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV-1, to provide baseline data for targeted STI and HIV prevention interventions.
METHODS:
In a cross sectional survey with snowballing recruitment, between February and March 2000, 503 self identified FSWs in a suburb in Mombasa, Kenya, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire and screened for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV-1.
RESULTS:
The mean number of sexual partners in the previous week was 2.8 (SD 1.6). The mean number of non-regular clients and regular clients in the previous week was 1.5 (1.0) and 1.0 (0.9) respectively. The median weekly income from sex work was $US15. A total of 337 (67%) women had an alternative income in the informal sector. 146 (29%) and 145 (45%) never used a condom with a client and non-paying partner respectively. The prevalence of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis was 1.8%, 4.2%, and 2.0% respectively. The overall HIV-1 seroprevalence was 30.6%.
CONCLUSIONS:
There is a large need for intensive STI and HIV prevention interventions in part time FSW
URI
http://hinari-gw.who.int/whalecomwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/whalecom0/pubmed/12181465http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/40669
Citation
Hawken MP, Melis RD, Ngombo DT, Mandaliya K, Ng'ang'a LW, Price J, Dallabetta G, Temmerman M.,Part time female sex workers in a suburban community in Kenya: a vulnerable hidden population.,Sex Transm Infect. 2002 Aug;78(4):271-3.Publisher
College of Health Sciences,
Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10378]