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Abstract #149675

Carolina Mejia, MPH, Phd(c)¹, Pablo E. Campos, MD, MPH², Clara Buendía², Cesar Carcamo, MD, PhD², Patricia J. Garcia, MD, MPH², and King K. Holmes, MD, PhD³. (1) Health Services Department, University of Washington, Box 357660, Health Sciences Bldg, Seattle, WA 98195-7660, 206 616-2926, cmejia@u.washington.edu, (2) Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Av. Honorio Delgado # 430 Urb, Ingeniería SMP, Lima, Peru, (3) Center for AIDS and STD, University of Washington, 325 9th Avenue, Room 3EC31, Seattle, WA 98104

BACKGROUND: Mobility patterns of high risk groups have shaped the evolution of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in several regions of the world. In Peru, female sex workers (FSW) are a high risk group that tends to be mobile.

OBJECTIVE: To compare socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics between mobile and non-mobile FSW in Peru.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4082 FSW from 20 Peruvian cities selected by time-location sampling between October and December 2005. Mobile women were defined as having done sex work in at least one city away from their city of residence in the last 12 months.

RESULTS: Of 4082 FSW, 59% FSW were mobile. Using multivariate analysis, mobility was independently associated with being single (OR: 1.70, p<0.001), under 25 (OR: 1.68, p<0.001), completing secondary school (OR: 1.16, p<0.05), working in brothels (OR: 1.30, p<0.05) or night clubs (OR: 2.04, p<0.001) compared to working in bars or streets, and higher number of partners (OR: 1.02, p<0.001). Although reported condom use with the last sex partners was lower among mobile FSW (OR .81, p<0.05), they reported spending more money on purchasing condoms (OR 1.03; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Mobility is common among FSW in Peru. Mobile FSW have more sex partners and lower condom use, which may place them at higher risk for infection. Targeted interventions and multi-sector policies that expedite access to STI/HIV testing and treatment, and condom distribution to newly arrived FSW are highly recommended to reduce the spread of STI/HIV in Peru.

Learning Objectives:

• Compare three socioeconomic factors and risk behaviors associated with mobile and non-mobile female sex workers in Peru.
• Describe methodology for assessing mobile female sex workers.
• Discuss policy recommendations for targeted interventions for mobile female sex workers

Keywords: Sex Workers, STD Prevention

Awards: Excellence in Abstract Submission among Student APHA Members and Winner of the HIV/AIDS Section Student Scholarship - Recipient

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.