Risk factors for medication non-adherence in an HIV infected population in the Dominican Republic.

High levels of medication adherence are central to HIV treatment success. Barriers to medication adherence may differ by cultural setting. We aimed to determine risk factors for medication non-adherence in HIV infected individuals in the Dominican Republic.

Acceptability and use of the female condom and diaphragm among sex workers in Dominican Republic: results from a prospective study.

To assess the acceptability and use of the female condom and diaphragm among female sex workers in the Dominican Republic, 243 participants were followed for 5 months. Participants received female and male condoms and a diaphragm along with proper counseling at monthly visits. Seventy-six percent reported used of female condom at least once during the final month of the study, compared with 50% that used the diaphragm with male condoms and 9% that used the diaphragm alone.

Cost-effectiveness of environmental-structural communication interventions for HIV prevention in the female sex industry in the Dominican Republic.

Behavior change communication often focuses on individual-level variables such as knowledge, perceived risk, self-efficacy, and behavior. A growing body of evidence suggests, however, that structural interventions to change the policy environment and environmental interventions designed to modify the physical and social environment further bolster impact. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of such comprehensive intervention programs.

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

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.