Behavioral risk factors and prevalence of HIV and other STIs among female sex workers in Tirana, Albania (original) (raw)
Related papers
HIV RISKY BEHAVIOURS OF MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN IN TIRANA
HIV infection remains to be of major public health importance in Europe, with evidence of increasing transmission among MSMs. The article presents the findings of the Behavioral and Biological Surveillance Study conducted in Tirana with 198 MSMs, utilizing a respondent-driven sampling. 40.6% of MSM have tried drugs. The overwhelming MSM respondents (90.5%) had anal sex in the past 6 months. Less than half of MSM 45.5% had anal sex with a commercial partner in the 6 months preceding the study. Only half of MSM who have had a commercial sex partner, used a condom with that partner during the last anal sex. On the other hand, even fewer MSM 20.3% used a condom consistently during every anal sex act with a commercial sex partner. Multiple partnerships are frequent, with an estimated 65.2% of MSM who have had sex with a non-commercial partner in the past 6 months having had 2-4 partners. 75.5% in the Tirana MSM network have had sex with a female. Condom use with females at last sex was 40.6 % and only 12% reporting consistent condom use with all female partners in the past 6 months. The majority of MSM (70%) are estimated to know that confidential HIV testing is available in Tirana. The sample characteristics indicate that of those MSM who had been tested, the majority 86.7% taken the HIV test voluntarily. The findings call for development of interventions to target MSMs for improved healthy behaviors.
Scripta medica, 2015
Introduction: Sex workers (SW) represent the population exposed to extremely high risk of HIV (HIV-Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other sexually transmitted infections. Poor socioeconomic conditions in the country, insufficient education, high unemployment and other factors lead to an increase in prostitution, which represents a high risk for the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Aim of the study: The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of HIV/ sexually transmitted infections among SW in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as to examine knowledge, attitudes and behaviour relating to HIV/sexually transmitted infections. The results were compared with the results obtained in researches conducted in 2008 and 2010. Material and Methods: Research was performed in 2012 as a bio-behavioral study that covered 199 sex workers in five cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Interviewing was done voluntarily, anonymously and confidentially, and after informed consent and councelling, a biological material (blood) for laboratory testing on HIV, hepatitis b, hepatitis c and syphilis was taken. The research shows the presence of risk behaviour among SW, mostly related to frequent change of partners and frequent unprotected sexual intercourses. Results: Only one third of respondents (36,7%) use condom during every sexual intercourse with a client, and 13% use it with a steady partner.A sexual intercourse after effects of consumption of alcohol-87,9% of respondents and of drugs-36,7% of respondents. Although there is a risk behaviour, only 11,1% think that the risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infections is high, but 12,6% think that there is no risk. Sex workers are 13,5 times more exposed to HIV infection than all the other women aged 15-49. Results of laboratory testing indicate a low level of HIV/sexually transmitted infections among sex workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conclusion: Although there is a relative progress in prevention of HIV/sexually transmitted infections among sex workers and more frequent testing on HIV/sexually transmitted infections comparing to earlier periods, these things are insufficient for the maintenance of a low level of infection. Further research at certain time intervals among this population would enable monitoring time trends of HIV epidemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina and would become a basis for the development of preventable programmes.
Sexual Behaviors of People Living with HIV (PLWH) in Albania
The International Annals of Medicine, 2018
Background: Sexual way of acquiring the HIV virus continues to predominate in 95% of reported cases in Albania. Nowadays, sexual risk behaviors of people living with HIV still remain big public health concern for spread of HIV virus from infected persons to another uninfected one; no date is available regarding risk behaviors of people living with HIV in Albania. Objectives: This study was undertaken to improve the understating about sexual behaviors of people living with HIV in Albania over the past 12 months and during the last episode of sexual intercourse. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in outpatient clinic of people living with HIV in Albania. Two hundred sixty four patients were interviewed about their sexual identity, sexual orientation, sexual attraction, sexual practices, and their sexual partners using AMIS questionnaire (Emory University Instrument) to measure their sexual risk behaviors. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS ...
International journal of advance research in nursing, 2018
In cross-sectional studies, we investigated frequency of sexual activity and risky sexual behaviors among 264 people living with HIV in Albania, aged over 15 years old. Over the past 12 months, 85.2% were involved in sexual behavior out of which 74.6% were male and 25.4% were female. 75.7% of sample was heterosexual; 13.6% bisexual; and 10.6 % homosexual. The study found that homo-bisexual committed more sex than heterosexuals respectively 89.3% and 83%. The study found significant difference in the last 12 months between: sexual orientation and the number of sexual partners; type of sexual partners; kinds of sex; safe sex; knowing your partner's HIV status; and the HIV status of the last sexual partner (p<0.01). In the heterosexual men prevails "1 partner" in a 72.6%; in the women prevails "1 partner" in a 44 83%; in the bisexual men prevails "1 partner" in a 32.4%, followed by "2 partner" and "3 partner" respectively 23.5%; in homosexuals prevails "2 partner" 56%.
HIV risks among female sex workers in Croatia and Montenegro
Collegium antropologicum, 2010
Montenegro. Face-to-face interviews were carried out in Zagreb, Split, and Podgorica during the 2006-2008 period. Croatian participants (n=154) reported fewer clients, more consistent condom use, higher rates of HIV testing, and greater HIV knowledge. The participants interviewed in Montenegro (n=119) were more likely to have injected drugs and to have experienced sexual abuse in the previous year. Although Montenegrin FSWs were more exposed to HIV-risks than Croatian FSWs, they reported lower HIV-risk self-assessment. Consistent condom use was significantly associated with education and HIV-risk self-assessment in the Croatian and the experience of physical/sexual abuse in the Montenegrin sample. In spite of a number of methodological limitations, the empirical insights provided by this study may assist in improving the existing HIV prevention initiatives.
HIV/AIDS risk behaviours among Roma and non-Roma sex workers in Belgrade (Serbia)
Collegium antropologicum, 2012
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyze differences between Roma and non-Roma sex workers (SWs) according to their HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. In this study 91 Roma and 100 non-Roma SWs were included. They offered sex services at Belgrade hot spots during the period 2006-2007. Roma SW were significantly younger and with lower education and they were significantly more often without reading and writing skills than non Roma SW. They also significantly more often had the first sexual intercourse before an age of 14 years. Roma and non-Roma SWs did not differ significantly in their risky sex behaviors. Out of all SWs (both Roma and non-Roma) 13.6% had more than 5 clients daily, 61.3% always used a condom with the commercial sex partners and 17.3% always used a condom with the steady partner. More than half of all participants (55.0%) reported daily use of some psychoactive substance. Correct answers to all 6 standardized questions regarding HIV transmission gave only 9.9% Roma...
Female sex work and HIV risks in Croatia
Aids Care-psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of Aids/hiv, 2009
The aim of this paper was to analyze and compare the prevalence of HIV-related sexual risk taking among Croatian female sex workers (FSW) in two major urban areas. Two groups of FSWs were interviewed in Zagreb (n=65) and Split (n=89). Participants' mean age was 33.3 (SD=8.32). Interviews were conducted by two outreach organizations that provide health services to sex workers in the two cities. The study used a brief questionnaire with standardized behavioral and HIV knowledge indicators. The two groups of FSWs differed significantly in most sociodemographic and socio-sexual indicators. Women from the Split sample were somewhat younger (χ 2 =6.87, P<.05), less educated (χ 2 =7.71, P<.05), less likely to be single (χ 2 =19.81, P<.001), and less likely to be unemployed (χ 2 =5.22, P<.05). Also, they injected drugs in higher proportion (χ 2 =35.03, P<.001), but had less clients in the preceding month (χ 2 =12.54, P<.001) and were less likely to be abused by them (χ 2 =7.18, P<.01). HIV testing was significantly more prevalent among participants in the Split sample (χ 2 =4.95, P<.05). In multivariate analysis, selling sex in Zagreb (OR=14.48, P<.01), having secondary or higher education (OR=4.76, P<.05), ever tested for HIV (OR=8.34, P<.05), and having assessed the risk of getting infected with HIV as high (OR=.23, P<.05) were significantly associated with consistent condom use with clients in the last month. The findings of this first systematic study on HIV-related risks among FSWs in Croatia point to the need to update targeted intervention programs by improving the prevention of HIV risks associated with injecting drug use (Split) and by a more efficient HIV educational approach.
Application of Safe Sex Behaviour in Female Sex Worker and Sexual Transmitted Infection
2020
The incidence of STIs in the form of inflammation or ulceration will increase the risk of entering HIV infection when having unprotected sex between someone who has been infected with an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) and their partner. Preventing and treating STIs and HIV can reduce the risk of sexual transmission, especially in at-risk populations such as sex workers and their customers. The research method used was descriptive analytic with a crossectional approach and the sampling technique was purposive sampling. Data about safe sex behavior was obtained using questionnaires and interviews, while STI examination was carried out by physical examination and laboratory examination. The laboratory tests performed were vaginal swabs (gram staining and gymsa) and serological examinations (rapid tests). Results of a study on 36 female sex workers, 61.1% of female sex workers did not apply safe sex so that the results of 11.1% STI examination were diagnosed with condyloma, 88.8%...
High-Risk Behaviors Among Regular and Casual Female Sex Workers in Iran: A Report from Western Asia
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 2018
Background: Female Sex workers are at risk of obtaining sexually transmitted infections, particularly human immunodeficiency virus. Objectives: This study aimed at comparing the high-risk behaviours between regular and casual sex workers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on sex workers from February to December, 2015, in a city of northern Iran. The research recruited 184 sex workers, who had the inclusion criteria. Three sampling methods were used to recruit the subjects. The test was conducted at an error level of 5% using the SPSS software. Results: The average age of the casual sex workers (32.53 ± 7.39) was older than that of regular sex workers, with a significant difference (P value < 0.05). A significant association was found between the 2 groups on the inconsistent use of condoms and working in brothels (P value < 0.05). The comparison of drug use before sex was not significantly different (P value > 0.05) between the 2 groups. Conclusions: It is very essential to organize peer groups for outreach services for sex workers, which could be more appropriate and consequently decrease the relevant damage in these groups.