Журнал женского здоровья
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The Preventive Practice of and Associated Factors of HIV/AIDS among Female Sex Workers in Dessie Town, Northeast Ethiopia, 2017

Abay Woday*, Yonatan Menber, Fuad Yimam, Negesse Melese, Samuel Dagne

Background: Commercial sex workers have been recognized as the high risk segment of the population since the last three decades. Though few studies have been conducted to dates in Ethiopia, all of them are focusing on the knowledge of female sex workers towards HIV/AIDS. However, no study has been done to assess the preventive practices of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers in Ethiopia as well in the study area. Therefore, this study aims to assess comprehensive knowledge and preventive practice of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers in Dessie town, North West Ethiopia, 2017.
Methods: A quantitative community based cross-sectional study triangulated with qualitative methods was employed among 592 female sex workers from 15th April 2017 to 25th May 2017 in Dessie town. A standardized, pretested and structured interviewer administered questionnaire, in-depth interview and observation were used to collect the data. The study participants were selected by employing multistage cluster sampling technique. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was employed to determine the association between dependent and explanatory variables. Statistically significant level was declared at P-value less than 0.05. Transcription and narration was done for the qualitative section.
Result: About 54.8% of female sex workers had good preventive practice of HIV/AIDS. After adjustment; alcohol consumption (AOR=0.25; 95% CI=0.11, 0.39) and khat chewing (AOR=0.28; 95% CI=0.15,0.62] were found the hindering factors of preventive practice but being membership with organizations those working on HIV/AIDS (AOR=2.55,95% CI=1.52-4.27) was found significantly associated with preventive practice of HIV/AIDS among FSWs.
Conclusion: The preventive practice of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers was found suboptimal. Therefore, the government, stakeholders and the community should give high attention to the high risk segment of population. Further analytic studies should be done on this area to explore more information on the determinant factors of knowledge and preventive practice of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers and other high risk groups.