AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #114 - Latino day laborers and sex workers in the Washington, DC suburbs
Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Fernanda Trotta Bianchi - George Washington University - Latino Health Research Center
Additional Authors:
Aim: Very little is known about the sexual behaviors of Latino day laborers. Although data are limited, Latino day laborers represent a group at risk for HIV (Galvan & Martinez, 2006; Organista & Organista, 1997). One factor contributing to HIV infection could be the practice of visiting sex workers, which is common among Latino day laborers (Galván, Ortiz, Martinez, & Bing, 2009; Organista & Kubo, 2005). In addition, previous research has shown that carrying condoms was rare and that consistent condom use during vaginal intercourse was not widespread in this population (Galván et al., 2009; Organista & Kubo, 2005). This exploratory study used a multi-method approach to examine the experiences of Latino day laborers with sex workers.
Method / Issue: Two focus groups and ten in-depth interviews with Latino day laborers, in addition to four interviews with sex workers, were conducted. All interviews and groups were conducted and transcribed in Spanish and coded using Nvivo 8 software for textual analysis. Quantitative data were also collected from 174 Latino day laborers using A-CASI technology. Participants were recruited from four different work centers in the Washington, DC suburbs.
Results / Comments: Of the 174 men in the sample, 74 men (43%) reported having had sex with a sex worker at some time, and 52 men (30%) reported doing so in the previous six months. Qualitative data showed that most commonly the sex workers or their pimps gave out business cards. The sexual encounters often occurred later in the homes of the men. Some men hired a sex worker for a single sexual encounter, but in other cases a group of men would get together to socialize and drink and would call for the delivery of a sex worker to service them all. Day laborers also frequented apartments or houses which functioned as brothels. Survey data indicated that by far the most common behavior was vaginal intercourse, which was reported by over three quarters of the 52 men who had had sex with a sex worker in the previous six months. Of the 74 men who had ever had sex with a sex worker, only ten reported having had unprotected sex. None of these men had done so at their most recent sexual encounter: nine reported using a condom, and one did not remember. Of the ten men who had had sex without a condom, two participants said they had to pay the sex worker more. Qualitative interviews revealed that often the sex workers or their pimps provided condoms and required condom use for sex, but in rare instances would agree to have unprotected sex for more money.
Discussion: Findings indicate that the use of sex workers is a common practice among day laborers in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Even though several men shared the same sex worker and sex often occurred in conjunction with drinking, the men reported consistent condom use. Sex workers appear to have played an important part in enforcing safe sex practices in this population and future interventions could explore their role as potential health educators.
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