HIV prevention among sex workers in India.
To test the efficacy of a sustainable community-level HIV intervention among sex workers, the Sonagachi Project was replicated, including community organizing and advocacy, peer education, condom social marketing, and establishment of a health clinic. Sex workers were randomly selected in 2 small urban communities in northeastern India (n = 100 each) and assessed every 5-6 months over 15 months (85% retention). Overall condom use increased significantly in the intervention community (39%) compared with the control community (11%), and the proportion of consistent condom users increased 25% in the intervention community compared with a 16% decrease in the control community. This study supports the efficacy of the Sonagachi model intervention in increasing condom use and maintaining low HIV prevalence among sex workers.
Basu
Ishika
I
STD/HIV Intervention Programme, Calcutta, India.
Jana
Smarajit
S
Rotheram-Borus
Mary Jane
MJ
Swendeman
Dallas
D
Lee
Sung-Jae
SJ
Newman
Peter
P
Weiss
Robert
R
D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011477:Sex Work