HIV infection, risk factors, and preventive services utilization among female sex workers in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam.

Bibliographic Details
Title: HIV infection, risk factors, and preventive services utilization among female sex workers in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam.
Authors: Bach Xuan Tran, Thuong Vu Nguyen, Quang Duy Pham, Phuc Duy Nguyen, Nghia Van Khuu, Nhung Phuong Nguyen, Duc Hoang Bui, Huong Thu Thi Phan, Long Thanh Nguyen
Source: PLoS ONE, Vol 9, Iss 1, p e86267 (2014)
Publisher Information: Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2014.
Publication Year: 2014
Collection: LCC:Medicine
LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Medicine, Science
More Details: BACKGROUND: Risk behaviors among female sex workers (FSW) are considerable drivers of HIV infections in Vietnam, especially transmission between high-risk and low-risk groups. We assessed HIV prevalence and its correlates among FSWs, and the use of preventive services among this community in the Mekong Delta region, southern Vietnam. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 1,999 FSWs was carried out in five provinces including Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Tien Giang, and Vinh Long between June, 2006 and June, 2007. We interviewed participants face-to-face in order to elicit information about their lives and potential risk factors, and we tested their sera to determine their HIV status. We then performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to investigate factors associated with HIV infection. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of the participating FSWs were street-based sex workers (SSWs) and the rest (83%) were entertainment establishment-based sex workers (ESWs). Unprotected sex with regular and casual clients in the past month was frequent among study participants (40.5% and 33.5% respectively). However, few respondents (1.3%) had ever injected drugs. Only 2.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6%-2.8%) of FSWs were found to be infected with HIV. HIV prevalence among SSWs was greater than among ESWs (3.8% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.02, respectively). Increased risk for HIV infection was significantly associated with the number of clients per month (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.26-5.59). CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to reduce unsafe sex and drug injection, and to increase uptake of HIV testing among FSWs are necessary. Differences in HIV prevalence and its correlates by type of sex work emphasize the importance of constrained contexts in shaping risk behaviors among FSWs; that should be considered in designing HIV prevention programs.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1932-6203
Relation: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3901683?pdf=render; https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086267
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/f4ac8278f1864801839ee4c3256480e4
Accession Number: edsdoj.f4ac8278f1864801839ee4c3256480e4
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:19326203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0086267
Published in:PLoS ONE
Language:English