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A Systematic Review of HIV and STI Behavior Change Interventions for Female Sex Workers in the United States

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An Erratum to this article was published on 10 September 2015

Abstract

The lives of female sex workers (FSW) in the US are typically marked by substance abuse, violence, trauma, and poverty. These factors place FSW at risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The purpose of this systematic review is to examine HIV/STI interventions conducted in the US that aim to reduce sexual- or drug-related risk behavior among FSW. Eighteen studies describing 19 unique interventions met our selection criteria: five exclusively targeted FSW, two reported stratified data for FSW, and 12 included at least 50 % FSW. Results indicate that 15 interventions provided HIV/STI information, 13 provided substance abuse prevention information, and few included content tailored to specific needs of FSW. Our findings suggest that current HIV/STI prevention efforts in the US do not adequately address the needs of FSW. Interventions are needed to address issues facing FSW in order to reduce HIV/STI transmission in this high-risk group.

Resumen

Las vidas de las trabajadoras sexuales (TS) en los EE.UU. típicamente están marcadas por el abuso de sustancias, violencia, trauma y pobreza. Estos factores ponen las TS en riesgo de contraer y transmitir el VIH y otras infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS). El propósito de esta revisión sistemática es examinar las intervenciones de VIH/ITS llevó a cabo en los EE.UU. que tienen como objetivo reducir comportamiento arriesgado entre las TS relacionado a drogas o relaciones sexuales. Dieciocho estudios que describen 19 intervenciones únicas cumplieron con los criterios de selección: 5 enfocaron exclusivamente en las TS, 2 reportaron datos estratificadas para las TS, y en 12 por lo menos el 50 % de los participantes eran TS. Los resultados indican que 15 intervenciones proporcionaron información sobre el VIH/ITS, 13 proporcionaron información sobre la prevención del abuso de sustancias, y pocas incluyeron contenidos adaptados a las necesidades específicas de las TS. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los esfuerzos actuales de prevención del VIH/ITS en los EE.UU. no abordan adecuadamente las necesidades de las TS. Se requieren intervenciones para abordar los problemas que enfrentan las TS con el fin de reducir la transmisión de VIH/ITS en este grupo de alto riesgo.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Mary Mullins in the Prevention Research Branch in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA for her help with conducting the PRS systematic searches, providing the search strategy, and editing the search methods. We would also like to acknowledge Vyann Howell in the Capacity Building Branch in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA for her help with coding the interventions. We would also like to acknowledge Elizabeth DiNenno in the Behavioral and Clinical Surveillance Branch in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA for her help with the project. The primary author participated in the Communities of Color ORISE Fellowship Program in the Prevention Research Branch in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention in the National Centers for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA from 2011 to 2013, and this work was supported by this division.

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  1. Division of STD Prevention, NCHHSTP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E-44, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Neetu Abad

  2. Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, NCHHSTP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Brittney N. Baack, Ann O’Leary, Yuko Mizuno & Cynthia M. Lyles

  3. Division of Violence Prevention, NCIPC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jeffrey H. Herbst

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  1. Neetu Abad
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Correspondence to Neetu Abad.

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Abad, N., Baack, B.N., O’Leary, A. et al. A Systematic Review of HIV and STI Behavior Change Interventions for Female Sex Workers in the United States. AIDS Behav 19, 1701–1719 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1013-2

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