Prevalence and correlates of human immunodeficiency virus infection among female sex workers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
OBJECTIVE
To assess prevalence of and correlates to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among female sex workers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.


METHODS
Women participating in this cross-sectional study completed a questionnaire and HIV testing between April 2003 and March 2004. Logistic regression analyses determined correlation of variables to HIV infection.


RESULTS
Of 448 women, 10% (45) were HIV infected, which was associated with ever injecting drugs (AOR = 20.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.69-53.07), street-based sex work (AOR = 4.52; 95% CI, 1.84-11.12), exchanging sex for drugs (AOR = 4.74; 95% CI, 1.84-12.18), and more sexually transmitted infection treatments in the preceding 3 months (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI, 1.14-5.17).


CONCLUSIONS
Although injection drug use is the strongest correlate to HIV infection, sexual risk behaviors are independently related and should receive focus in prevention efforts targeted to this population.
Todd
Catherine S
CS
Division of International Health and Cross-Cultural Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0622, USA. cstodd@ucsd.edu
Khakimov
Mumtaz M
MM
Alibayeva
Gulchaekra
G
Abdullaeva
Mukhabat
M
Giyasova
Guzel M
GM
Saad
Magdi D
MD
Botros
Boulos A
BA
Bautista
Christian T
CT
Sanchez
Jose L
JL
Carr
Jean K
JK
Earhart
Kenneth C
KC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D014610:Uzbekistan / Q000453:epidemiology