Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 60, Issue 2, 2017, Pages S29-S34

Paying for Sex by Young Men Who Live on the Streets in Dhaka City: Compounded Sexual Risk in a Vulnerable Migrant Community (Article) (Open Access)

McClair T.L.* , Hossain T. , Sultana N. , Burnett-Zieman B. , Yam E.A. , Hossain S. , Yasmin R. , Sadiq N. , Decker M.R. , Ahmed S.
  • a Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
  • b Population Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • c Population Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • d Population CouncilWashington, D.C., United States
  • e Population CouncilWashington, D.C., United States
  • f Population Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • g Marie Stopes Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • h Link Up Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • i Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
  • j Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Purpose Dhaka City is home to thousands of migrants from Bangladesh's rural areas who often live in the streets. Prior studies examine street youth's practice of selling sex as a survival mechanism. We assess their less-studied practice of paying for sex and its association with sexual risk behaviors and outcomes. Methods As part of the global Link Up project, trained interviewers recruited 447 young men who live on the streets, ages 15–24, from seven Dhaka City “hotspots” to participate in a survey about sexual health. Among those who ever had sex, we examined frequencies and conducted bivariate analyses of sociodemographic characteristics by paying for sex status. We then conducted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of paying for sex in the last 12 months and sexual health behaviors and outcomes. Results Median participant age was 18 years. Among those who ever had sex (N = 321), 80% reported paying for sex in the last 12 months and 15% reported selling sex in the last 12 months. In multivariate analyses, those who paid for sex had significantly increased odds of reporting sexually transmitted infection–related symptoms in the last six months (adjusted odds ratio = 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17–2.64) and engaging in unprotected last sex with a nonprimary partner (adjusted odds ratio = 2.19, CI = 1.58–3.03). Conclusions The adverse factors associated with paying for sex among young men who live on the streets in Dhaka City highlight the need for programs to educate on HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention and promote condom use, STI screening/treatment, and HIV testing in this population. © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine

Author Keywords

STI Male Pavement dwellers Transactional sex Adolescent HIV Bangladesh

Index Keywords

Vulnerable Populations vulnerable population rural area HIV Infections sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection human community statistics and numerical data priority journal Logistic Models unprotected sex Unsafe Sex sexually transmitted disease Cross-Sectional Studies Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant Humans Adolescent male risk factor Risk Factors questionnaire prostitution sexual health Article adult migration Reproductive Health Sex Work Bangladesh statistical model Transients and Migrants homeless youth
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85010199482&doi=10.1016%2fj.jadohealth.2016.09.024&partnerID=40&md5=7302a24a28ac202b6211939fb31f93ac
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.09.024
ISSN: 1054139X
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English