TY - JOUR
T1 - Early sex work initiation and its association with condomless sex and sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers in Iran
AU - Khezri, Mehrdad
AU - Shokoohi, Mostafa
AU - Mirzazadeh, Ali
AU - Karamouzian, Mohammad
AU - Sharifi, Hamid
AU - Haghdoost, Ali Akbar
AU - Baral, Stefan D.
N1 - Funding Information:
MK is supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship. MS's postdoctoral research is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
PY - 2020/6/1
Y1 - 2020/6/1
N2 - Early sex work initiation among female sex workers (FSWs) increases their vulnerabilities to high-risk sexual practices and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We examined the association of early sex work with condomless sex indicators, HIV, and other STIs, including human papillomavirus, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, syphilis, and gonorrhea, among FSWs in Iran. We recruited 1347 FSWs from 13 cities in 2015, with 1296 participants (94.2%) reporting information about their age of sex work initiation. Early sex work was defined as the initiation of selling sex before 18 years of age. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported using multivariable logistic regression. Overall, 10.1% of FSWs reported early sex work initiation. FSWs who initiated sex work earlier were more likely to report last-month inconsistent condom use (aOR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.82, 6.02) and condomless sex with last client (aOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.56). There was no statistically significant association between early sex work and HIV (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI: 0.43, 4.53) and any other STIs (aOR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.69, 1.48), except for chlamydia (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.04). These findings suggest that FSWs with early sexual debut would benefit from differentiated interventions including screening for STIs and enhanced counseling for condom use.
AB - Early sex work initiation among female sex workers (FSWs) increases their vulnerabilities to high-risk sexual practices and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We examined the association of early sex work with condomless sex indicators, HIV, and other STIs, including human papillomavirus, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, syphilis, and gonorrhea, among FSWs in Iran. We recruited 1347 FSWs from 13 cities in 2015, with 1296 participants (94.2%) reporting information about their age of sex work initiation. Early sex work was defined as the initiation of selling sex before 18 years of age. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported using multivariable logistic regression. Overall, 10.1% of FSWs reported early sex work initiation. FSWs who initiated sex work earlier were more likely to report last-month inconsistent condom use (aOR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.82, 6.02) and condomless sex with last client (aOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.56). There was no statistically significant association between early sex work and HIV (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI: 0.43, 4.53) and any other STIs (aOR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.69, 1.48), except for chlamydia (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.04). These findings suggest that FSWs with early sexual debut would benefit from differentiated interventions including screening for STIs and enhanced counseling for condom use.
KW - HIV
KW - Iran
KW - Women
KW - high-risk sexual behaviors
KW - sex workers
KW - sexually transmitted infections
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U2 - 10.1177/0956462420913431
DO - 10.1177/0956462420913431
M3 - Article
C2 - 32538329
AN - SCOPUS:85086368723
VL - 31
SP - 671
EP - 679
JO - International Journal of STD and AIDS
JF - International Journal of STD and AIDS
SN - 0956-4624
IS - 7
ER -