HIV Insight: HIV Risk & Behaviour among Part-Time vs Professional Female Sex Workers: Baseline Report of an Interventional Cohort in Burkina Faso

OBJECTIVE:

To readjust HIV control programmes in Africa, we assessed the factors associated with high-risk behaviours and HIV infection among young female sex workers (FSW) in Burkina Faso.

METHODS:

We carried out a cross-sectional study from September 2009 to September 2010 in Ouagadougou, the capital city. FSW were categorised as professionals and part-time sex workers (PTSW). After a face-to-face questionnaire, blood and urine samples were collected for HIV, HSV-2, genital infections and pregnancy. High-risk behaviour was defined as a recent unprotected sex with either casual clients, regular clients or regular partners.

RESULTS:

We recruited 609 FSW including 188 (30.9%) professionals. Their median age was 21 years (IQR 19-23), and the prevalence of HIV was 10.3% among professionals and 6.5% among PTSW. Only 3 of 46 HIV-infected women were aware of their status. Overall, 277 (45.6%) women reported high-risk behaviours (41.2% among professionals and 47.5% among PTSW), which were driven mainly by non-systematic condom use with regular partners. In multivariable analysis, PTSW and having a primary or higher education level remained associated with high-risk behaviours. HIV infection was associated with older age with being married/cohabiting and with Trichomonas vaginalis infection, while history of HIV testing was associated with a decreased risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study highlights the need for targeted interventions among young FSW focusing particularly on PTSW, sexual behaviours with regular partners and regular HIV testing.

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By: Traore IT1, Hema NM2, Sanon A1, Some F2, Ouedraogo D2, Some R2, Niessougou J2, Konate I1, Mayaud P3, Van De Perre P4, Meda N5, Nagot N4.

1Department of Clinical Research, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
2Centre of International Research for Health, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
3Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
4CHU Montpellier & INSERM U1058, Montpellier, France.
5Department of Public Health, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso Department of Public Health, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Sex Transm Infect. 2016 Feb 1. pii: sextrans-2015-052038. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2015-052038.