Homosexual prostitution among male drug users and its risk for HIV infection.
OBJECTIVE
to assess whether male prostitution is an independent risk factor for HIV infection among male (intravenous and nonintravenous) drug users.


METHODS
a cross-sectional study.


METHODS
various low-threshold methadone clinics and the sexually transmitted diseases clinic of the Municipal Health Service in Amsterdam and a drug-treatment centre in The Hague.


METHODS
343 male intravenous drug users and 106 male non-intravenous drug users.


METHODS
characteristics concerning drug use behaviour, sexual behaviour, and sociodemography, related to prostitution and HIV-antibodies.


RESULTS
of the 449 study participants, 88 (20%) reported a history of prostitution; no differences were found between intravenous and non-intravenous drug users. Younger age, West German nationality, and having had private homosexual sex contacts, were independent predictors of a history of prostitution. Independent predictors of HIV infection were (1) longer residency in Amsterdam; (2) having had predominantly homosexual private sex contacts; (3) longer duration of intravenous drug use; and (4) frequent needle sharing.


CONCLUSIONS
no evidence was found to suggest that male prostitution in itself contributed to the risk of HIV infection.
Municipal Health Service, Department of Public Health and Environment, Amsterdam.
J A
JA
van den Hoek
H J
HJ
van Haastrecht
R A
RA
Coutinho
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000208:ethnology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D009426:Netherlands; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*