AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Volume 15, Issue 2, 2003, Pages 187-195

Surviving the sex trade: A comparison of HIV risk behaviours among street-involved women in two Canadian cities who inject drugs (Article)

Spittal P.M.* , Bruneau J. , Craib K.J.P. , Miller C. , Lamothe F. , Weber A.E. , Li K. , Tyndall M.W. , O'Shaughnessy M.V. , Schechter M.T.
  • a BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Dept. of Hlth. Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • b Res. Ctr. Ctr. Hosp. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada
  • c BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • d BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • e Res. Ctr. Ctr. Hosp. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada
  • f BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • g BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • h BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • i BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • j BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Dept. of Hlth. Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Abstract

In Canada, very little is known about the factors and processes that cause drug-related harm among female intravenous drug users (IDUs). Women who inject drugs and participate in the survival sex trade are considered to be at increased risk for sexual and drug-related harms, including HIV infection. Between September 1999 and September 2000, women participating in the VIDUS cohort in Vancouver and the St. Luc Cohort in Montreal completed interviewer-administered questionnaires. Analyses were conducted to compare the demographic characteristics, sexual risk behaviours, risky injection practices and drug use patterns among women who self-identified as participating in the sex trade with those who did not identify as participating in the sex trade. Logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with exchanging sex for money or drugs. HIV prevalence at the study visit (September 1999-2000) was 29% for sex trade workers and 29.2% for non-sex trade workers. While patterns of sexual risk were similar, the risky injection practice and drug use patterns between sex trade workers and non-sex trade workers were markedly different. Logistic regression analysis of cross-sectional data revealed that independent behaviours associated with the sex trade included: greater than once per day use of heroin (adjusted OR 2.7), smokeable crack cocaine (adjusted OR = 3.3) and borrowing used syringes (adjusted OR = 2.0). Creative, client-driven interventions are urgently needed for women who trade sex for money or for drugs.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

HIV Infections sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection logistic regression analysis human risk assessment middle aged Cohort Studies comparative study priority journal Aged cocaine Humans Adolescent Canada female risk factor prostitution prevalence Article Risk-Taking Substance Abuse, Intravenous major clinical study adult diamorphine intravenous drug abuse
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0346447984&doi=10.1080%2f0954012031000068335&partnerID=40&md5=d67f83a52edff2197f325b275dadc83d
DOI: 10.1080/0954012031000068335
ISSN: 09540121
Cited by: 87
Original Language: English