Prostitutes and AIDS: a health department priority?

In Philadelphia, a large increase in syphilis among minority group heterosexuals began in 1986 and preceded similar increases elsewhere in the United States. To determine reasons for this increase, we conducted a case-control study in the metropolitan sexually transmitted diseases clinic during 1987 and 1988. Cocaine use (odds ratio [OR] 3.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.5, 6.5 among men; OR 5.8; 95% CI = 1.5, 33 among women) and exchange of drugs for sex (OR 3.5; 95% CI = 1.4, 8.7 among men) were risk factors for syphilis. Although cocaine users reported more sexual

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“…The findings were presented to the Society for Epidemiologic Research, Vancouver, BC, Canada, June [14][15][16][17] 1988.…”

Section: Acknowledgmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors for syphilis: cocaine use and prostitution.

Rolfs¹,

Goldberg²,

Sharrar³

1990

Am J Public Health

230

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“…These women may thus be at higher risk of HIV infection from their private sexual partners (particularly if they are injecting-drug users), than from their clients (Day 1988, Rosenberg andWeiner 1988): She said that she and her boyfriend didn't use condoms 'I've been goin' with him three years now and I've known him for eight, so why should 1 suddenly start now? Anyway he was ma first really serious boyfriend'.…”

Section: Risk Reductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparison of HIV‐related risk behaviour and risk reduction between female street working prostitutes and male rent boys in Glasgow

McKeganey

Barnard

Bloor

1990

Sociology Health & Illness

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In this paper we provide an early report of two continuing ethnographic studies of prostitution. We compare female streetworking prostitutes and male rent boys in Glasgow in terms of risks of HIV infection and practice of safer sex. It is shown that a considerable proportion of streetworking female prostitutes in Glasgow were injecting drug users but that drug use was much less common among rent boys. Although condom use appeared to be widespread amongst the women it was less common among the rent boys. We then examine the nature of the relationship established with clients. It is shown that the rent boys were much less directive in relation to clients -much less likely to insist on safer sexual practices than were the female prostitutes. It is suggested that this lack of directiveness is associated with retrospective payment -payment after the commercial sex act takes place. In a final section we look at the policy implications of our work.

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“…However, reluctance to use condoms with boyfriends has been found to be associated with enhanced risk of HIV infection for women, since boyfriends may well be IV drug users and/or also be having unsafe sex with other partners (Rosenberg and Weiner 1988). Indeed, 'a paradoxical situation could arise in which women prostitutes become HIV infected from their boyfriends but their clients remain protected through universal condom use' (Day et al 1987).…”

Section: Nor Can Clients Be Trustedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women prostitutes in the AIDS era

Scambler¹,

Peswani²,

Renton³

et al. 1990

Sociology Health & Illness

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The prevalence and nature of female prostitution in the west is considered, as are the main types of motivation for engaging in sex work. The variable tendency to define western prostitutes as causal agents in the transmission and spread of HIV/AIDS is noted, and the medical/epidemiological evidence against doing so briefly summarised. The impact of the AIDS pandemic on prostitutes and their work is discussed, as are a number of legal, ideological and representational issues relating to prostitution which have been given new salience by the AIDS debate. It is contended that the legal process continues to discriminate unjustly against women prostitutes; that a 'double standard' of sexual morality persists; and that prostitute groups have articulated a clear response to law and ideology, hinging on the de-criminalisation of uncoerced adult prostitution. It is suggested that one likely consequence of decrimmalisation would be improved access to health education and care facilities, as relevant for the general health status of women workers as for STDs, including AIDS.

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Prostitutes and AIDS: a health department priority?

Abstract: With increasing competition for resources, health departments are faced with the question of whether to target female prostitutes as a high priority component of AIDS prevention strat-

Cited by 94 publications

References 31 publications

Risk factors for syphilis: cocaine use and prostitution.

Risk factors for syphilis: cocaine use and prostitution.

A comparison of HIV‐related risk behaviour and risk reduction between female street working prostitutes and male rent boys in Glasgow

Women prostitutes in the AIDS era

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