Awareness and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among people who engage in sex work presenting to a sexually transmitted infection clinic

Characterization of Patients Seeking Care at a Sexual Health Clinic Who Report Engaging in Exchange Sex

“…People who exchange sex have been a priority population for initiating PrEP in Washington state 28 . Although we found levels of PrEP use among cisgender men and TGD persons who exchange sex in this analysis (48% and 32%, respectively) to be higher than prior studies of PrEP uptake (range, 5%–22%), 21,29 PrEP is still underutilized among PWES who are MSM or TGD persons, women who exchange sex for money or drugs, and persons who inject drugs. The barriers to HIV and HCV treatment and to PrEP in this population are likely similar to barriers to health care in general.…”

“…One from Rhode Island also found higher prevalence of IDU, STIs, HIV, and HCV among PWES compared with the general sexual health clinic patient population. 21 The prevalence of HIV among patients in our analysis was comparable to that study for cisgender men (12% vs 10%) but higher for cisgender women (10% vs 3%). Our finding that half of the PWES in the sexual health clinic were cisgender MSM, and that a relatively small number of cisgender women PWES were seen over the 11-year period suggests that our clinic may not be effectively reaching cisgender women who exchange sex.…”

“…To our knowledge, only a few prior studies have focused on PWES seen in sexual health clinics. One from Rhode Island also found higher prevalence of IDU, STIs, HIV, and HCV among PWES compared with the general sexual health clinic patient population 21 . The prevalence of HIV among patients in our analysis was comparable to that study for cisgender men (12% vs 10%) but higher for cisgender women (10% vs 3%).…”