title: Sexual risk behaviours, condom use and sexually transmitted infection treatment-seeking behaviours among female sex workers and truck drivers in Uganda.
abstract: We assessed sexual risk behaviours, condom use and sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment-seeking behaviours among truckers and female sex workers (FSWs) operating at 12 hotspots along two major transport corridors in Uganda. Participants were identified through local contact persons: 261 truckers and 259 FSWs were interviewed. FSWs reported a mean number of 28 partners in the past 30 days while truckers reported a mean of seven partners. Ninety-four percent of FSWs and 87% of truckers reported condom use in the past month; however, only 21% of truckers and 45% of FSWs reported using condoms consistently during that time. More than half of truckers (n = 261) and 77% of FSWs (n = 259) reported that they suffered from STIs in the past year, and 93% of FSWs and 92.9% of truckers sought treatment for STIs in the past year. Of these, 78% of truckers and 86% of FSWs sought treatment at least three days following recognition of symptoms. These findings suggest that FSWs and truckers engage in high-risk sexual behaviours characterized by multiple sexual partnerships, low consistent condom use and delayed treatment-seeking behaviours.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, PO Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. jmatovu@musphcdc.ac.ug
authors.forename: J K B
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Matovu
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Ssebadduka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044382:Population Groups; D012309:Risk-Taking; D060386:Sex Workers; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult