ArticleGlobal health action2021
Community-led cross-sectional study of social and employment circumstances, HIV and associated factors amongst female sex workers in South Africa: study protocol.
Article in Global health action, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed.
- 'It is not my business': Adolescent boys' experiences and responses to community violence in Soweto, South Africa.Journal of child & adolescent trauma · 2026Article
- Correcting misperceived norms: An integrated intervention to prevent adolescent sexual violence and HIV in South Africa.Global public health · 2025Article
- Validating the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Reporting in a low literacy adolescent population in Burkina Faso.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Findings from the 'Ask Me About PrEP' HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Awareness Programme in England.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2025Article
- Longitudinal patterns and predictors of opioid and stimulant use initiation and cessation among female sex workers living with HIV in South Africa.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2025Article
- Fediša Modikologo: breaking the intergenerational cycle of violence against women and children. Theoretical framework and protocol for a prospective cohort study.Wellcome open research · 2025Article
- Prevalence of HIV and willingness to uptake preventive services among female sex workers in Kano State, Nigeria.PloS one · 2025Article
- Increasing age and duration of sex work among female sex workers in South Africa and implications for HIV incidence estimation: Bayesian evidence synthesis and simulation exercise.Infectious Disease Modelling · 2024Article
- Preferences, educational messaging, and demand creation channels for multipurpose-prevention technologies (MPTs) among women in South Africa.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Mental health challenges and perceived risks among female sex Workers in Nairobi, Kenya.BMC public health · 2022Article
- HIV incidence estimation among female sex workers in South Africa: a multiple methods analysis of cross-sectional survey data.The lancet. HIV · 2022Article
- The HIV Cascade of Care and Service Utilisation at Sex Work Programmes Among Female Sex Workers in South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2022Article
- Sexual IPV and non-partner rape of female sex workers: Findings of a cross-sectional community-centric national study in South Africa.SSM. Mental health · 2021Article
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20 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundIn South Africa, female sex workers (FSWs) are perceived to play a pivotal role in the country's HIV epidemic. Understanding their health status and risk factors for adverse health outcomes is foundational for developing evidence-based health care for this population.
objectiveDescribe the methodology used to successfully implement a community-led study of social and employment circumstances, HIV and associated factors amongst FSWs in South Africa.
methodA community-centric, cross-sectional, survey of 3,005 adult FSWs was conducted (January-July 2019) on 12 Sex Work (SW) programme sites across nine provinces of South Africa. Sites had existing SW networks and support programmes providing peer education and HIV services. FSWs were involved in the study design, questionnaire development, and data collection. Questions included: demographic, sexual behaviour, HIV testing and treatment/PrEP history, and violence exposure. HIV rapid testing, viral load, CD4 count, HIV recency, and HIV drug resistance genotypic testing were undertaken. Partner organisations provided follow-up services.
resultsHIV Prevalence was 61.96%, the median length of selling sex was 6 years, and inconsistent condom use was reported by 81.6% of participants, 88.4% reported childhood trauma, 46.2% reported physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner and 57.4% by a client. More than half of participants had depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (52.7% and 54.1%, respectively).
conclusionThis is the first national survey of HIV prevalence amongst FSWs in programmes in South Africa. The data highlight the vulnerability of this population to HIV, violence and mental ill health, suggesting the need for urgent law reform. Based on the unique methodology and the successful implementation alongside study partners, the outcomes will inform tailored interventions. Our rapid rate of enrolment, low rate of screening failure and low proportion of missing data showed the feasibility and importance of community-centric research with marginalised, highly vulnerable populations.
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