Social and Behavioral Determinants of Consistent Condom Use Among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana

Adu-Oppong, Ahmed; Grimes, Richard M.; Ross, Michael W.; Risser, Jan M. H.; Kessie, G

doi:10.1521/aeap.2007.19.2.160

Cited by 62 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…In most sex work settings, competition for clients is intense, resulting in workers going along with each client's demands for fear of losing the client or earning less. 33,36,47,123,125,[129][130][131] Time and availability of condoms are the third and fourth themes. Sex workers have described their encounters, especially with casual partners, as brief, with minimal conversation or negotiation.…”

Section: Commercial Sexual Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Condoms in sub-Saharan Africa

Maticka‐Tyndale¹

2012

Sex. Health

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Abstract. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region with the world's highest rates of HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs), yet numerous studies show that condom use is generally rare. This suggests a need for a better understanding of how condoms fit within sexual practices and relationships in SSA. This paper seeks to address this need by reviewing research published between the late 1980s and 2011 on use and factors influencing use of male condoms in SSA. What is evident from this research is that condom use involves complex social and interpersonal dynamics, with structural and cultural conditions exerting an influence through framing social cognitions and setting boundaries on autonomy that make the apparently irrational choice of eschewing condoms a rational decision. The influences of poverty; relationships with parents, peers and partners; limited, insufficient or absent information especially in rural areas and among men who have sex with men; gender and sexual norms, and the dynamics of gendered power; and beliefs and attitudes about HIV, condoms and sexuality all have been shown to work against condom use for a large proportion of Africa's people. However, promising results are shown in trends towards increased condom use among single women in numerous countries, increasing acceptance and use of condoms among some university students, successes in producing potentially sustainable condom use resulting from select interventions, and resistance to succumbing to the dominant gender-power dynamics and structural-cultural impediments that women in groups have mobilised.

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Section: Commercial Sexual Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Condoms in sub-Saharan Africa

Maticka‐Tyndale¹

2012

Sex. Health

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“…We believe that educational messages to avoid risks should be passed to new as well as experienced commercial sex workers. Substantial support, such as the free distribution of condoms, is also important to encourage the adoption of safer behaviours, because the major obstacles to consistent condom use are refusal by clients, lack of availability of free condoms and lack of empowerment to negotiate with clients for safer sex (Adu-Oppong et al, 2007). In the present study, the interviewees had access to condoms, but it is likely that many others still engage in unprotected sex.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…A previous study in Ghana indicated a rate of consistent condom use of 49.6% among female sex workers, even though their opportunity for condom education was only 14% (Adu-Oppong et al, 2007). In Vietnam, less than 40% of female sex workers use condoms consistently (Tuan et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction of Health-Related Risks Among Female Commercial Sex Workers: Learning From Their Life and Working Experiences

Ohnishi

Notiço

2011

Health Care for Women International

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We performed this study to determine both positive and negative impacts on the health of sex workers working on the street. We conducted this study using key informant and focus group interviews in bars and streets in Mozambique. The interviewed sex workers were aware about the risks and protection against sexually transmitted infections, and consistently used condoms. Most suffered from harmful behaviour, including violence and assault by both customers and other commercial sex workers. We found that sex workers' own skills and knowledge acquired through experience could potentially be developed into life skills that could save and protect their lives. In some countries in southern Africa, the population aged between 15 and 49 has an HIV infection prevalence rate of more than 30%. Furthermore, among young people aged 15 to 24 years old in the countries of southern Africa, women have a 3.6 times higher rate of HIV infection than men (UNAIDS, 2008) as women are anatomically more susceptible to HIV infection than men. However, in some cases, this is also due to the involvement of women in the sex industry, rape, and sexual violence, which are linked to vulnerability to infection and social factors, such as poverty and gender inequity (Rekart, 2005). This has also resulted in an increase in the number of families headed by children-usually the eldest brother or sister (UNICEF, 2003). Due to economic difficulties, the girls in these families often engage in commercial sex work to sustain the other siblings (Lindblade et al., 2003).People engaged in the commercial sex trade work face difficulties in receiving public support or assistance. Sex workers, including women trafficked for the commercial sex trade, also experience a number of physical and psychological health risks (Stewart and Gajic-Veljanoski, 2005). Sex trafficked women and girls are vulnerable to HIV infection (Silverman et al., 2006), and coinfection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (Silverman et al., 2008). A number of campaigns to raise awareness and to help in the prevention, treatment, care and support of sex workers regarding HIV/AIDS have been conducted around the world (Willis and Levy, 2002). However, the results were insufficient, and several problems remain to be resolved, such as chronic poverty and issues related to human rights (Huda, 2006).Thailand and a number of other countries have implemented successful programmes for the promotion and prevention of HIV/AIDS among sex workers (Nelson et al., 1996;Ford and Koetsawang, 1999). However, the countries of southern Africa have not been able to achieve significant changes because of differences in economic and social conditions, and the extremely high prevalence of HIV infection in this region (UNAIDS, 2008). Effective intervention for people at risk of HIV infection, such as sex workers, is urgently needed in this region in general and in Mozambique in particular. Thus, a number of difficulties remain to be overcome in Mozambique. We consider it is important to imp...

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“…In Gambia showed majority subjects were widowed or separated (69,8%) (11) Meanwhile there were 70% in Ghana and 88,8% in Swaziland female sexual workers said: single and never been married in their marital status. (10,12) Underlying reason these women became sex workers because they often did not have skills or training to be able to get alternative employment. This study found although 85,1 % had condom in their workplace and 72,3% had condom for free, but subjects who used condom in last three days when have sexual contact were less than 70%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are many reasons why condom not use appropriately, such as age, socioeconomic, romantic reasons, knowledge, education, marital status of clients etc. (10,11) In facts no much data about condom usage in Jayapura City. The aim of this study was to identified the condom usage behavior and also analyzed the relationship between condom usage with STI incidence among Indirect Female Sexual Worker in Jayapura City.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%