Trial reportPloS one2022
Key risk factors for substance use among female sex workers in Soweto and Klerksdorp, South Africa: A cross-sectional study.
Trial report in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mental health and substance use among women frequenting high-risk venues in Haiphong, Vietnam: findings from an adapted PLACE survey.The International journal on drug policy · 2026Article
- Cost-Effectiveness of Reducing HIV Infections Through Screening and Treating Alcohol Use and Depression in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A Mathematical Modeling Study.Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) · 2026Article
- Deaths of Female Sex Workers from HIV/AIDS in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2019-2023 and Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Counting the vulnerable: estimating the population size and assessing the HIV care continuum among women who inject drugs in Southern Mozambique.Harm reduction journal · 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
- Patterns of inconsistent condom use and risky sexual behaviors among female sex workers in Mozambique.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Determinants of depressive and alcohol use disorders among female sex workers in Ethiopia: evidence from a national bio-behavioral survey, 2020.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- 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
- Examining HIV Knowledge and Sexually Risky Behaviors among Female Sex Workers in Kampala, Uganda.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder among female sex workers in Mbeya City, Tanzania.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Self-Reported Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Among Women Engaged in Commercial Sex Work in Southern Uganda.AIDS and behavior · 2023Article
- Beyond a deficit-based approach: Characterizing typologies of assets for cisgender and transgender female sex workers and their relationship with syndemic health outcomes.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
introductionSex workers in South Africa experience high levels of trauma and mental health issues, but little is known about their drug and alcohol use. This study assessed the prevalence of substance use and its key risk factors amongst female sex workers (FSWs) at two sites in South Africa.
methodsTwo cross-sectional studies were conducted, in Soweto and Klerksdorp, South Africa. Using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) 508 FSWs in Soweto and 156 in Klerksdorp were enrolled. A study-specific survey was used to collect social and demographic information, substance use, mental ill-health, and HIV status. Raw and RDS-adjusted data were analyzed using Chi-squared tests of association. Weighted and unweighted Poisson regression models were used to assess key risk factors for alcohol and drug use at both univariate and multivariate levels.
resultsOf the 664 FSWs, 56.2% were binge drinkers and 29.4% reported using drugs within the last year. Living in a home with regular food (RR: 1.2597, 95% CI: 1.1009-1.4413) and being HIV positive (RR: 1.1678, 95% CI: 1.0227-1.3334) were associated with a higher risk of binge drinking. Having symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder (RR: 1.1803, 95% CI: 1.0025-1.3895) and past year physical/sexual abuse from either intimate (RR: 1.3648, 95% CI: 1.1522-1.6167) or non-intimate partners (RR: 1.3910, 95% CI: 1.1793-1.6407) were associated with a higher risk of drug use. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of alcohol and drug use among FSWs in Soweto and Klerksdorp with site-specific contextual dynamics driving substance use. Site differences highlight the importance of tailoring site-specific substance use harm mitigation for this key population.
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