HIV and Prostitution: The review of the literature is a call to action.

Abstract

A review of the current literature revealed 766 articles in the last five years coded for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and prostitution (2361 since 1950). Less than 100 of the current publications focused on the United States and only 62 of the articles were clinical research that addressed sex work as a focused variable or associated risk finding. Four of the study populations were persons who were infected with HIV: three using a population of incarcerated persons including sex workers and one examining the issue of disclosure of HIV status. For only twenty two of the projects was the study population limited to sex workers. Two of these were epidemiologic publications of the incidence of sexually transmitted infections. Most of the remaining twenty examined risk patterns or population characteristics that were associated with risk of HIV infection.. Though the literature includes research on interventions to decrease psychosocial factors that contribute to prostitution/sex work, i.e. illicit drug use, childhood sexual abuse, economic stress, etc, only two studies measured the effectiveness of specific interventions to reduce HIV infection risk in sex workers. This research will be summarized and a discussion of prospects for further study will be facilitated.

Ann Wayson Locher, MSN, RN, ACRN
University: University of Toledo, Ryan White Program Coordinator
Location: Toledo, OH
Title of Presentation: HIV and Prostitution: The review of the literature is a call to action.