Citation
Kerrigan, Deanna L.; Moreno, Luis A.; Rosario, Santo; Gomez, Bayardo; Jerez, Hector; Barrington, Clare; Weiss, Ellen; & Sweat, Michael D. (2006). Environmental-Structural Interventions to Reduce HIV/STI Risk among Female Sex Workers in the Dominican Republic. American Journal of Public Health, 96(1), 120-125. PMCID: PMC1470438Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We assessed the effectiveness of 2 environmental-structural interventions in reducing risks of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers in the Dominican Republic.METHODS: Two intervention models were implemented over a 1-year period: community solidarity in Santo Domingo and solidarity combined with government policy in Puerto Plata. Both were evaluated via preintervention-postintervention cross-sectional behavioral surveys, STI testing and participant observations, and serial cross-sectional STI screenings.
RESULTS: Significant increases in condom use with new clients (75.3%-93.8%; odds ratio [OR]=4.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.55, 11.43) were documented in Santo Domingo. In Puerto Plata, significant increases in condom use with regular partners (13.0%-28.8%; OR=2.97; 95% CI=1.33, 6.66) and reductions in STI prevalence (28.8%-16.3%; OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.32, 0.78) were documented, as were significant increases in sex workers' verbal rejections of unsafe sex (50.0%-79.4%; OR=3.86; 95% CI=1.96, 7.58) and participating sex establishments' ability to achieve the goal of no STIs in routine monthly screenings of sex workers (OR=1.17; 95% CI=1.12, 1.22).
CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that combine community solidarity and government policy show positive initial effects on HIV and STI risk reduction among female sex workers.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.042200Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2006Journal Title
American Journal of Public HealthAuthor(s)
Kerrigan, Deanna L.Moreno, Luis A.
Rosario, Santo
Gomez, Bayardo
Jerez, Hector
Barrington, Clare
Weiss, Ellen
Sweat, Michael D.