Barcelona 2013
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| Abstract #256 - Sex Workers | ||||
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Session: 15.3: Sex Workers (Parallel) on Monday @ 14.30-16.00 in Auditorium Chaired by Tonya Thurman, Angels Jaen Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Freddy Tinajeros - TEPHINET, Honduras |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Kouassi Auguste Eric Komena, | ||||
| Aim: Combined interventions that include diagnosis and treatment of STIs, HIV screening, counseling, and promotion of condom use in female sex workers, remain one of the most important strategies in HIV prevention, especially in countries with concentrated epidemics. Since 2006, Honduras implemented the STI Sentinel Surveillance strategy targeting female sex workers, improving access to STI diagnosis and treatment, specialized counseling, HIV testing and condom promotion among this group in the cities of Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba. | ||||
| Method / Issue: We analyzed prevalence of syphilis, condom use and sociodemographic characteristics using the STI Sentinel Surveillance database of female sex workers attending STI clinics in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba during the past six years (2006-2012). We performed a comparative analysis among those with less than two visits to those with three or more visits to determine a dose-response relationship on STI infection and condom use. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test. All analyses were performed using Epi Info 7. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Since 2006, 2571 FSW have received services in the VICITS clinics: 678 in Tegucigalpa, 1383 in San Pedro Sula and 510 in La Ceiba; 54.7% returned to the clinic at least once. Median age was 26 years and 9.2% completed secondary education. Almost a third (29.3%) had an STI during the last year. Syphilis in San Pedro Sula decreased from 3.7% (n=1121) in the first visit to 2.1% (n=195) in the sixth visit (p <0.001), from 0.5% (n=217) on the first visit to 0% (n=10) in the sixth visit (p <0.001) in La Ceiba and from 2.7% (n=629) on the first visit to 0.8% (n= 126) in the sixth visit (p> 0.001) in Tegucigalpa. Reported condom use with clients in Tegucigalpa increased from 93.1% (n=627) in the first visit to 98.1% (n=322) in the third visit (p=0.001), in San Pedro Sula from 88.4% (n=980) to 97.4% (n=422) (p<0.001) and in La Ceiba from 93.1 (n=404) to 98.2% (n=114) (p>0.001). Reported condom use with stable partners in the last 12 months was considerably lower, at 12.2% (n=98), 34.6% (n=130) and 26.7% (n=15) in 2012. No statistically significant change in condom use at last sex with casual partners between the first and third visit was observed 28.1% (n=57) in Tegucigalpa, 66.7% (n=33) in La Ceiba and 75.9% (n=108) in San Pedro Sula at the third visit. | ||||
| Discussion: Prevalence of syphilis decreased in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba. Syphilis rates among female sex workers receiving care in STD clinics remain low compared to the latest behavioral surveillance study (2006) where 12.3% and 9.8% syphilis prevalence was found in these cities. We observed a significant increase in condom use with clients of FSW in San Pedro Sula and moderate increase in Tegucigalpa and in La Ceiba. Strategies to increase condom use with clients in La Ceiba and Tegucigalpa should be strengthened. | ||||
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