Intravaginal Practices among HIV-Negative Female Sex Workers Along the US-Mexico Border & Their Implications for Emerging HIV Prevention Interventions

OBJECTIVE:

To describe intravaginal practices (IVPs) among female sex workers (FSWs) who inject drugs in two cities-Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez-on the border between the USA and Mexico.

METHODS:

Data for a secondary analysis were obtained from interviews conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial in FSWs who injected drugs between October 28, 2008, and May 31, 2010. Eligible individuals were aged at least 18 years and reported sharing injection equipment and having unprotected sex with clients in the previous month. Descriptive statistics were used to assess frequency and type of IVPs. Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of IVPs.

RESULTS:

Among 529 FSWs who completed both surveys, 229 (43.3%) had performed IVPs in the previous 6 months. Factors independently associated with IVPs were reporting any sexually transmitted infection in the previous 6 months, three or more pregnancies, and having clients who became violent when proposing condom use, which are all factors related to inconsistent condom use.

CONCLUSION:

Screening for IVPs could help to identify FSW at increased risk of HIV, and facilitate conversations about specific risk-reduction methods.

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By:  Seidman D1, Rusch M2, Abramovitz D3, Stockman JK3, Martinez G4, Rangel G5, Vera A3, Ulibarri MD6, Strathdee SA7.

• 1Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
• 2Population Health and Epidemiology, Island Health, Victoria, BC, Canada; School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
• 3Division of Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
• 4Community Health and Development of Ciudad Juarez and the Mexican Federation of Private Associations, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
• 5El Colegio de la Frontera del Norte, Tijuana, Mexico.
• 6Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
• 7Division of Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: sstrathdee@ucsd.edu. 
• Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2016 Jan 28. pii: S0020-7292(16)00037-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.09.025.

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