Monitoring Evaluation Unit, National HIV/STI Programme, Kingston, Jamaica.
Sex Transm Dis. 2010 May;37(5):306-10. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e3181c6e851.
The aims of the study were to estimate HIV prevalence among sex workers (SWs) in Jamaica and to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection.
Face to face interviews and HIV testing of 450 SWs across Jamaica were conducted in 2005. Participants were identified by key informants.
About 9% of SWs were HIV-positive. HIV-positive SWs tended to be older, less educated, have a history of crack/cocaine use, and were less likely to be aware of the Ministry of Health's prevention programme. More than 90% of SWs reported having easy access to condoms and using condoms at last sex with local and tourist clients. However, 30% of SWs used condoms with nonpaying partners. Knowledge of HIV prevention methods was high but only 38.6% of SWs appropriately rejected myths about HIV transmission by mosquito bites and meal sharing.
Prevention programmes targeting SWs must emphasize the risk associated with both paying and nonpaying sexual partners while providing knowledge about HIV prevention. Increased access to prevention programmes is likely to reduce HIV prevalence among this population.
本研究旨在估计牙买加性工作者（SWs）中的 HIV 流行率，并确定与 HIV 感染相关的风险因素。
2005 年，在牙买加各地对 450 名性工作者进行了面对面访谈和 HIV 检测。参与者由知情人确定。
约 9%的性工作者 HIV 呈阳性。HIV 阳性性工作者往往年龄较大、受教育程度较低、有吸食快克/可卡因的历史，并且不太可能了解卫生部的预防计划。超过 90%的性工作者报告说很容易获得避孕套，并在上次与本地和游客客户发生性行为时使用了避孕套。然而，30%的性工作者与非付费性伴侣使用了避孕套。性工作者对 HIV 预防方法的了解程度很高，但只有 38.6%的性工作者正确拒绝了关于 HIV 通过蚊虫叮咬和共用餐具传播的误解。
针对性工作者的预防计划必须强调与付费和非付费性伴侣相关的风险，同时提供有关 HIV 预防的知识。增加对预防计划的获取可能会降低该人群中的 HIV 流行率。
