Correlates of health care utilization under targeted interventions: The case of female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT

Accessibility and frequency of use of health care services among female sex workers (FSWs) are constrained by various factors. In this analysis, we examined the correlates of frequency of using health care services under targeted interventions among FSWs. A sample of FSWs (N = 1,973) was obtained from a second round (2012) of Behavioral Tracking Survey, conducted in five districts of Andhra Pradesh, a high-HIV-prevalence state in southern India. We used negative binomial regression models to analyze frequency of utilization of health care services among FSWs. Based on our analysis, we suggest that various predisposing and enabling factors were found to be significantly associated with the visit to NGO clinics for treatment of any health problem, any sexually transmitted infection symptom, and the number of condoms received from the peer worker or condom depot. We suggest the need for further research with respect to various correlates of frequency of using health care among FSWs to develop effective intervention strategies in countries that have high HIV prevalence among FSWs and targeted interventions need more diligent implementation to reach the unreached.

Acknowledgments

This paper was written as a part of the Knowledge Network Project of the Population Council, as a grantee from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) through Avahan, its India AIDS Initiative. However, the views expressed in this paper are of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the BMGF and Avahan.