Associations of GBV with HIV risk behaviour, and barriers to healthcare and justice among FSWs in Cameroon
| Total (n=1817) | Among FSWs without a GBV history (n=719) | Among FSWs with a GBV history (n=1098) | χ2 p value | Adjusted OR* | 95% CI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample, % | (n/n) | % | % | ||||
| HIV risk behaviour | |||||||
| Condom use with clients | |||||||
| Inconsistent condom use (vaginal sex; past month) | 59.2 | (1068/1805) | 50.3 | 65.0 | <0.0001 | 1.49 | (1.18 to 1.87) |
| Difficult suggesting condom use | 2.9 | (53/1802) | 2.1 | 3.5 | 0.093 | 1.53 | (0.79 to 2.97) |
| Offered more money for condomless sex (ever) | 86.5 | (1560/1804) | 81.0 | 90.0 | <0.0001 | 2.09 | (1.56 to 2.79) |
| Condom use with non-paying partner | |||||||
| Inconsistent condom use (vaginal sex; past month) | 87.1 | (1199/1379) | 85.9 | 87.6 | 0.375 | 0.96 | (0.68 to 1.36) |
| Difficult suggesting condom use | 40.4 | (595/1474) | 34.6 | 43.8 | 0.001 | 1.47 | (1.16 to 1.87) |
| Male condom failure (slip/break; past year) | 46.5 | (830/1786) | 40.9 | 50.1 | <0.0001 | 1.53 | (1.25 to 1.87) |
| Injection drug use ever | 1.5 | (26/1792) | 0.70 | 1.9 | 0.032 | 2.60 | (0.94 to 7.22) |
| HIV information, infection and treatment | |||||||
| Received information about HIV (past year) | 68.3 | (1236/1811) | 68.6 | 68.0 | 0.810 | 0.91 | (0.73 to 1.14) |
| Knowledge of HIV status | 90.0 | (1610/1793) | 90.3 | 89.5 | 0.580 | 1.18 | (0.83 to 1.68) |
| Self-reported HIV+ | 5.1 | (81/1601) | 3.5 | 6.1 | 0.017 | 1.98 | (1.18 to 3.33) |
| Being treated (if HIV+) | 64.2 | (52/81) | 72.7 | 61.0 | 0.328 | 0.49 | (0.13 to 1.82) |
| HIV tested (past year; if self-reported HIV–) | 73.8 | (1116/1512) | 75.9 | 72.4 | 0.127 | 0.92 | (0.71 to 1.19) |
| Healthcare | |||||||
| Ever told doctor or nurse about sex trade | 32.7 | (593/1811) | 34.4 | 31.7 | 0.237 | 0.88 | (0.71 to 1.09) |
| Fear of health services | 13.0 | (234/1796) | 7.5 | 16.7 | <0.0001 | 2.25 | (1.61 to 3.16) |
| Denied health services | 3.2 | (57/1790) | 2.1 | 3.9 | 0.040 | 1.57 | (0.85 to 2.93) |
| Mistreated in health centre | 5.4 | (96/1790) | 3.4 | 6.7 | 0.003 | 1.66 | (1.01 to 2.73) |
| Justice | |||||||
| Felt that police did not protect | 33.4 | (601/1801) | 30.1 | 35.5 | 0.016 | 1.41 | (1.12 to 1.78) |
| Arrested | 55.6 | (1008/1812) | 46.4 | 61.7 | <0.0001 | 2.02 | (1.64 to 2.49) |
| Jailed or imprisoned | 4.7 | (84/1804) | 3.0 | 5.8 | 0.006 | 1.87 | (1.11 to 3.15) |
| Blackmailed (by anyone) | 55.1 | (995/1805) | 38.6 | 66.0 | <0.0001 | 3.05 | (2.48 to 3.76) |
Boldface font designates statistical significance at p<0.05.
*Adjusted for age, marital status, education, city, income other than sex work and number of clients in the past month.
FSWs, female sex workers; GBV, gender-based violence.