In Senegal, recent data
indicates that the HIV epidemic is increasingly driven by concurrent sexual
partners among men and women in stable relationships. In order to respond to
this changing epidemiological profile in Senegal, multi-lateral and national
AIDS actors require information about these emerging trends in unstudied
populations.
To that end, this study has several objectives, first, to assess
local dynamics of sexual behaviors among individuals at popular socializing
venues in areas at increased risk of HIV transmission; and then to examine how
particular venues may influence risks of HIV transmission. In 2013 we collected
data at 314 venues in 10 cities in Senegal using PLACE methodology.
These
venues were listed with collaboration of 374 community informants. They are
places where commercial sex workers, MSM, and individuals who are not part of
any identified risk group socialize and meet new sexual partners. We conducted
2600 interviews at the 96 most popular venues.
A significant portion of the
sample reports buying or selling sex and the majority engaged in behavior
considered high-risk for transmitting sexual infections. Almost a quarter of
patrons interviewed in venues were young people aged 15-24 years. Types of
venues described were very diverse. Half of them were venues
(n = 156) where sex workers could be solicited and almost a third
were venues where MSM could meet male partners (n = 90).
The study
showed existing pockets of vulnerability to HIV in Thies, Bignona or Saly that
are not evident from aggregate HIV data. These early findings suggest links
between risky behaviors and type of venue on the one hand and type of city on
the other hand. Finally, these findings offer complementary insight to existing
studies of HIV vulnerability in Senegal and support a case for venue-based
interventions.
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- 1Department of Geography, Gaston Berger University, St Louis, Senegal. Electronic address: fatou-maria.drame@ugb.edu.sn.
- 2IDCE, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA.
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