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Widows, divorcees and separated women were more HIV infected. Women who reported
always using condoms were 50% less likely to be HIV infected than women who reported no
condom use.
Table 3 : Characteristics among HIV- positive and HIV- negative sew workers in Nairobi.
HIV negative
% or mean
HIV positive
% or mean
OR (95% CI) P
Age 32.1 31.8 0.9 (0.9-1.4) 0.8
Years lived in Nairobi
Marital status :
11.4 10.3 1.0 (0.9-2.3) 0.3
Never married
43
33 0.8 (0.7-1.0) 0.06
Widowed/divorced/separated 57
68
Age at first sex 16.4 15.8 1.6 (0.9-1.2) 0.1
Duration prostitution 6.9 6.1 1.1 (0.6-1.4) 0.2
Partners/day 3.7 3.6 0.9 0.8
Partners/week 13.6 23.9 1.9 (0.6-20.9) 0.06
Charge per act
Condom use :
125 107 1.2 0.2
Never
36
38 1.7 (0.9-3.1)* 0.05*
1-49%
21
29
50-99%
21
23
Always
23
11
Regular partner 62 56 0.9 (0.7-1.2) 0.2
Use of oral contraceptives 11 10 1.1 (0.5-2.3) 0.5
Douching 71 66 0.9 (0.6-1.2) 0.5
Any lubricants used 28 18 1.6 (0.9-2.7) 0.04
Sex during menses 23 24 1.0 (0.9-1.2) 0.4
Anal intercourse 15 14 1.0 (0.9-1.1) 0.5
Any alcohol use 47 56 0.8 (0.7-1.1) 0.1
History of STD 41 44 0.9 (0.7-1.2) 0.4
*P value for categories «always» compared with «never». OR= odds ratios; CI= confidence intervals.
We compared the characteristics of the women according to the place of work (Table 4).
Women working in bars compared with women working at home were younger, had more
partners per week and used alcohol more often. They had a higher HIV prevalence but this
was not significantly different. Only 10 women were working in a nightclub and they were
more often single, charged more per sex act, had anal sex and sex during menstruation
more often, had a higher use of lubricants and used alcohol more often. Only one of them
was HIV infected.
To examine further the relation among risk factors for HIV infection, we performed logistic
regression analysis. All variables significantly associated with HIV in univariate analysis were
included in the model. These were marital status, partners per week, condom use, use of
lubricants, place of work, trichomoniasis and SIL.
PREVENTION OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS INCLUDING HIV 86