Factors associated with recent HIV testing uptake and HIV-positive serostatus among female sex workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The HIV burden is high among female sex workers (FSW) in Ethiopia, yet HIV testing coverage is suboptimal. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 137 FSW in Addis Ababa. We examined factors related to recent HIV testing and self-reported HIV serostatus using logistic regression. HIV prevalence was 10%; and among HIV-negative participants, 63% reported recent HIV testing. Involvement in sex work for ≥5 years (aOR 3.25; 95% CI 1.22, 8.69; p-value 0.02) and hormonal contraceptive use (aOR 3.37; 95% CI 1.09, 10.41; p-value 0.03) were significantly associated with recent HIV testing. Involvement in sex work for ≥5 years (aOR 13.13, 95% CI 1.31 132.01, p-value 0.03), drug use (aOR 8.02; 95% CI 1.36, 47.31; p-value 0.02), and having a job other than sex work (aOR 122.05, 95% CI 2.97 > 999.99, p-value 0.01) were significantly associated with self-reported HIV-positive serostatus. These results identify areas to target future HIV risk-reduction interventions for FSW in Ethiopia.

KEYWORDS:

• Female sex workers
• HIV testing
• HIV/AIDS
• Ethiopia
• Africa

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the field staff at Hiwot Ethiopia for assisting with recruitment, interviewers from St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, and the women who gave their time to participate in this research study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research study was funded by the University of Michigan African Social Research Initiative Collaborative Faculty Seed Grant (Co-PIs: Elizabeth J. King and Samrawit Solomon). Shelbi Lisecki’s travel for fieldwork in Ethiopia was funded by University of Michigan School of Public Health Office of Global Public Health, University of Michigan African Studies Center Internship Support, Coleman Global Experience Scholarship, and the University of Michigan School of Public Health Office for Student Engagement & Practice Reproductive and Women’s Health Internship Funding.