Environmental-structural interventions to reduce HIV/STI risk among female sex workers in the Dominican Republic

D. Kerrigan, L. Moreno, S. Rosario, B. Gomez, H. Jerez, C. Barrington, E. Weiss and M. Sweat

American Journal of Public Health, 2006, vol. 96, issue 1, 120-125

Abstract: Objectives. We assessed the effectiveness of 2 environmental-structural interventions in reducing risks of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers in the Dominican Republic. Methods. Two intervention models were implemented over a 1-year period: community solidarity in Santo Domingo and solidarity combined with government policy in Puerto Plata. Both were evaluated via preintervention-postintervention cross-sectional behavioral surveys, STI testing and participant observations, and serial cross-sectional STI screenings. Results. Significant increases in condom use with new clients (75.3%-93.8%; odds ratio [OR] = 4.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.55, 11.43) were documented in Santo Domingo. In Puerto Plata, significant increases in condom use with regular partners (13.0%-28.8%; OR = 2.97;95% CI = 1.33, 6.66) and reductions in STI prevalence (28.8%-16.3%; OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.32, 0.78) were documented, as were significant increases in sex workers' verbal rejections of unsafe sex (50.0%-79.4%; OR = 3.86; 95% CI = 1.96, 7.58) and participating sex establishments' ability to achieve the goal of no STIs in routine monthly screenings of sex workers (OR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.12, 1.22). Conclusions. Interventions that combine community solidarity and government policy show positive initial effects on HIV and STI risk reduction among female sex workers.

Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2004.042200_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.042200

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