Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: HIV epidemic trends among female sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa are rarely known. We analysed HIV prevalence trends among 10,562 female sex workers aged 18-39 years, recruited through serial cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling surveys in 13 towns and 2 cities in Zimbabwe between 2013 and 2023. HIV prevalence remained stable from 2013 to 2016-2017 but declined significantly from 54.6% in 2016-2017 to 38.9% in 2021-2023 (cluster prevalence mean difference: 15.7%, prevalence ratio: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.68-0.79). This decline cannot be attributed to sampling bias or shifts in the characteristics of the female sex worker population. Mathematical modelling using the HIV Synthesis model and age cohort analysis also suggested lower HIV incidence in later years. While the availability of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis increased, there was little evidence of reduced risk behaviour over time. Increased treatment coverage among the male population likely contributed to the lower HIV incidence among female sex workers.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Topic: Sex work and related issues
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Awards: G1068834845, G2554553723, Differentiated prevention and care to support virtual elimination of infectious HIV among sex workers in southern Africa, Maximizing combination HIV prevention, uptake and retention by adolescent girls and young women, Differentiated prevention and care to support virtual elimination of infectious HIV among sex workers in southern Africa, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - to inform prevention and treatment monitoring and transform the insights we have into tracking HIV incidence decline by improving the measurement a..., G3566286132, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - to better understand disease burden for priority pathogens to inform diagnostic, vaccine, and therapeutic development decisions related to sexually..., Centre for Sexual Health and HIV and AIDS Research - to design an effective program reaching those at the edge of sex work and prepare for a rigorous implementation science study in Zimbabwe, G666894910, G7026554305, THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACHIEVEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF HIV EPIDEMIC CONTROL IN ZIMBABWE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS THE MANAGEMENT, COORDINATION AND PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL CARE SERVICES WITHIN THE NATIONAL HIV PROGRAM., Africa Health Research Institute NPC - to investigate the impact of universal risk-informed biosocial HIV prevention through decentralized sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services i..., University College London - to support a consortium of modelers to inform the planning of HIV programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and to understand the impact of current and future...
OpenAlex ID: W4417034162