Background: Economic vulnerability influences women engaged in commercial sex work (WESW) to further engage in sexual risk behaviors, as they often have multiple customers and engage in unprotected sex for financial gains. This study examined asset ownership's direct and indirect impact on sexual risk-taking behaviors among WESW in Southern Uganda, a very vulnerable group of women at high risk for contracting HIV and other STIs.

Methodology: We used baseline data from the Kyaterekera study, an NIH-funded study among WESW aged 18-55 across 19 HIV hotspots in Southern Uganda. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct, indirect, and total effects of assets-defined as ownership of physical and financial resources-on sexual risk-taking behaviors among WESW.

Results: Results showed that asset ownership was associated with a decrease in depression (β =  - 0.096 [95% CI - 0.191, - 0.001], p = 0.050) and increased access to medical care (β = 0.174 [95% CI 0.072, 0.275], p = 0.001).We also found that an increase in access to medical care was associated with decreased sexual risk-taking behaviors (β =  - 0.107 [95% CI - 0.210, - 0.004], p = 0.041). We observed a specific indirect effect between assets and sexual risk-taking behaviors through access to medical care (β =  - 0.019 [95% CI - 0.040, - 0.002], p = 0.05). Mediation contributed 31% of the total effects of asset ownership on sexual risk-taking behaviors.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is among the few studies to examine the impact of asset ownership on sexual risk-taking behaviors among WESW in Southern Uganda. Findings from this study indicate that increasing access to economic resources may reduce the risk of WESW engaging in unprotected sex for higher income, which limits the spread of HIV among this population. The results also indicate that asset ownership may allow women to access healthcare services.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9773531PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-02129-7DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

sexual risk-taking
28
risk-taking behaviors
24
asset ownership
20
southern uganda
12
access medical
12
medical care
12
sexual
8
women engaged
8
sex work
8
unprotected sex
8

Similar Publications

Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (BMSM) experience the highest rates of HIV acquisition annually out of any population in the United States, and young BMSM (YBMSM) are heavily impacted by this inequity as they enter adulthood. Despite a high annual HIV incidence, extant literature has found BMSM to engage in fewer sexual risk behaviors than White and Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men, resulting in a gap between risk behaviors and the inequity of HIV infection. Structural factors, such as racism and homophobia, are thus being examined in order to understand this disconnect between behavior and HIV incidence.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The US state of Florida has the third highest rate of HIV as well as high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) indicating critical HIV and STI prevention needs remain unmet. To address gaps in the STI care continuum in people with HIV (PWH), evidence-based interventions were implemented across three Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funded clinics in Florida between August 2020-August 2021. Interventions included comprehensive sexual health history (SHH) taking using audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) software, self-collected extragenital gonorrhea and chlamydia testing, and the introduction of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) welcoming environment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is impaired by limitations of current patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). We developed the first cardiovascular disease (CVD) specific electronic PROM for which health items were derived by a fully patient-centered method. This paper reports on the measurement of HRQoL in CVD patients by a novel developed electronic patient-centred PROM based on a preference-based measurement model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The lives of adolescents and young people living with HIV (LHIV) are dominated by complex psychological and social stressors. These may be more pronounced among those perinatally infected. This longitudinal mixed-methods study describes the clinical and psychosocial challenges faced by HIV perinatally infected young mothers in Harare, Zimbabwe to inform tailored support.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!