title: Mobile phones and sex work in South India: the emerging role of mobile phones in condom use by female sex workers in two Indian states.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine female sex workers' solicitation of clients using mobile phones and the association between this and condom use with clients. Cross-sectional data were utilised to address the study's aim, drawing on data collected from female sex workers in Calicut, Kerala, and Chirala, Andhra Pradesh. Use of mobile phone solicitation was reported by 46.3% (n = 255) of Kerala participants and 78.7% (n = 464) of those in Andhra Pradesh. Kerala participants reporting exclusive solicitation using mobile phones demonstrated 1.67 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.01-2.79) of inconsistent condom use than those reporting non-use of mobile phones for solicitation. However, those reporting exclusive solicitation through mobile phones in Andhra Pradesh reported lower odds of inconsistent condom use (OR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.26) than those not using mobile phones for solicitation. Findings indicate that solicitation of clients using mobile phones facilitates or hampers consistency in condom use with clients depending on the context, and how mobile phones are incorporated into solicitation practices. Variations in sex work environments, including economic dependence on sex work or lack thereof may partially account for the different effects found.
authors.affiliation: a School of Public Health, University of California , Berkeley , USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Navani-Vazirani
authors.forename: Davidson
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.lastname: Gopalakrishnan
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heylen
authors.forename: Aylur Kailasom
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Srikrishnan
authors.forename: Canjeevaram K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ekstrand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV prevention; India; female sex work; mobile phones