Geographic mobility and potential bridging for sexually transmitted infections in Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Abstract

Short-term mobility can significantly influence the spread of infectious disease. In order for mobile individuals to geographically spread sexually transmitted infections (STIs), individuals must engage in sexual acts with different partners in two places within a short time. In this study, we considered the potential of mobile individuals as bridge populations – individuals who link otherwise disconnected sexual networks and contributed to ongoing STI transmission. Using monthly retrospective panel data, we examined associations between short-term mobility and sexual partner concurrency in Agbogbloshie, Ghana. We also examined bridging by the location of sex acts and the location of sexual partners in concurrent triads, and whether mobile individuals from our sample were more likely to be members of geographic bridging triads. Although reported rates of sexual partnership concurrency were much higher for men compared to women, mobility was only associated with increased concurrency for women. Additionally, this association held for middle-distance mobility and short-duration trips for women. Taking into account the location of sex acts and the location of sexual partners, about 22% of men (21.7% and 22.4% for mobile and non-mobile men, respectively) and only 3% of women (1.4% and 3.3% for mobile and non-mobile women, respectively) were potential bridges for STIs over the last year. Our results highlight the gendered nature of mobility and sexual risk behavior, reflecting the normative social context that encourages women to conceal certain types of sexual behavior.

Self-reported sexually transmitted infections among sexually active men in Ghana

“…This requires research to reveal the global burden of the disease [4]. Previous studies on STIs in sub-Saharan African countries have focused on the region as a whole [4] and on specific countries such as Ghana [5][6][7] and Ethiopia [2]. Such studies have identified religion, mass media exposure, and having multiple partners as predictors of STIs.…”

One step ahead: timing and sexual networks in population mobility and HIV prevention and care

“…The structure and context of migrant sexual networks are critical for understanding risks of HIV transmission and the effectiveness of prevention interventions: the location (place) and timing of sexual ties can interrupt or dilute the effectiveness of interventions such as UTT. Migrant networks can bridge otherwise separate places and contribute to ongoing HIV transmission by engaging in sex acts in different places or maintaining relationships with sexual partners who live in different places . The reverse is also possible, but less examined: migration can bridge places with different UTT coverage and interrupt the effectiveness of interventions.…”

“…age, race/ethnicity) . Sexual partners of mobile individuals may also be migrants or people living outside their home community (assortative mixing by migration status) . Therefore, a migrant's partners may lack exposure to the same level of HIV treatment and prevention, and thus have higher rates of HIV infection.…”

Residential mobility impacts relative risk estimates of space-time clusters of chlamydia in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

“…Individuals in the core group tend to recruit new sexual partners into their network periodically, particularly when they change their geographic residence (Aral, 2000;Stratford et al, 2000;Lichtenstein et al, 2008;Cassels et al, 2017). Few studies have identified this pattern in truck drivers, commercial sex workers and migrant labourers (Stratford et al, 2000;Lichtenstein et al, 2008;Nguyen et al, 2009;Neaigus et al, 2016;Cassels et al, 2017).…”