title: The Silk Road Health Project: How Mobility and Migration Status Influence HIV Risks among Male Migrant Workers in Central Asia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether mobility, migrant status, and risk environments are associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV risk behaviors (e.g. sex trading, multiple partners, and unprotected sex).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) to recruit external male migrant market vendors from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan as well internal migrant and non-migrant market vendors from Kazakhstan. We conducted multivariate logistic regressions to examine the effects of mobility combined with the interaction between mobility and migration status on STIs and sexual risk behaviors, when controlling for risk environment characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mobility was associated with increased risk for biologically-confirmed STIs, sex trading, and unprotected sex among non-migrants, but not among internal or external migrants. Condom use rates were low among all three groups, particularly external migrants. Risk environment factors of low-income status, debt, homelessness, and limited access to medical care were associated with unprotected sex among external migrants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study findings underscore the role mobility and risk environments play in shaping HIV/STI risks. They highlight the need to consider mobility in the context of migration status and other risk environment factors in developing effective prevention strategies for this population.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nabila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Bassel
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Stacey A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, Columbia University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: Gaukhar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mergenova
authors.affiliation: Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, Columbia University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: Assel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terlikbayeva
authors.affiliation: Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, Columbia University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: Sholpan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Primbetova
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mingway
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ismayilova
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, School of Social Work, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Elwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Epidemiology, International Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beyrer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001209:Asia, Central / Q000453:epidemiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003710:Demography; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult