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Abstract
Health seeking behaviour among male and female sex workers - a swift analysis of prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in rural area
V. Roddawar1, S. Vishwanath2, M. Ramalakshmi3, G. Ravindhar3
Issues: The goal of any biomedical interventions program is to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS and lessen the vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). All groups of people are potentially at risk of STIs but sex workers are at greater risk. Clinical management of STIs alone cannot achieve control over STIs and it requires community specific approaches that use different paradigms.
Description: One of the main objectives of India AIDS Initiative (IAI) is to reduce the STI prevalence amongst sex workers. IAI is an initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), supported by Alliance, Andhra Pradesh and implemented by LEPRA Society as a Lead Partner. For the past four years the project is providing clinical services to Female Sex Workers (FSW) and Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in three different localities of three districts in Andhra Pradesh. It is intended to do a swift analysis of two years clinical data for three sites to understand the health seeking behaviour and utilization of STI services among FSW and MSM.
Lessons learned: The characteristics of Nirmal, Kamareddy and Ramayampet sites vary from each other and they comprise secret, market and brothel based features. The total working population of three sites are 2333 female and 868 male sex workers. The KPs follow-up deviates from 19 percent to 85 percent across three sites that range from 17 to 74 percent for female and 25 to 90 percent for male sex workers. The neglected follow-ups resulted in more number of STIs among the female population than the male population. Largely market based KPs utilized more clinical services than secret and/or brothel based KPs.
Next steps: Understanding social, economic, and cultural factors will facilitate in providing effective clinical services of STIs. Site specific outreach activities and messaging accurate information empowers the patient to prevent STIs.
AIDS 2008 - XVII International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
CDC0374
Suggested Citation
"V.Roddawar, et al.
Health seeking behaviour among male and female sex workers - a swift analysis of prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in rural area.
:
AIDS 2008 - XVII International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
CDC0374"
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