Does antiretroviral therapy initiation increase sexual risk taking in Kenyan female sex workers? A retrospective case-control study

Elysha Mawji, Lyle McKinnon, Charles Wachihi, Duncan Chege, Paul Thottingal, Anthony Kariri, Francis Plummer, T. Blake Ball, Walter Jaoko, Elizabeth Ngugi, Joshua Kimani, Lawrence Gelmon, Nico Nagelkerke, Rupert Kaul

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) prolongs life and reduces infectiousness, in some contexts, it has been associated with increased sexual risk taking. Design: Retrospective case-control study. Setting: Nairobi-based dedicated female sex worker (FSW) clinic. Participants: HIV-infected FSWs before and after ART initiation (n=62); HIV-infected and -uninfected control FSWs not starting ART during the same follow-up period (n=40). Intervention: Initiation of ART. Primary outcome measures: Self-reported condom use, client numbers and sexually transmitted infection incidence over the study period (before and after ART initiation in cases). Results: Sexual risk-taking behaviour with casual clients did not increase after ART initiation; condom use increased and sexually transmitted infection incidence decreased in both cases and controls, likely due to successful cohort-wide HIV prevention efforts. Conclusions: ART provision was not associated with increases in unsafe sex in this FSW population.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere000565
JournalBMJ Open
Volume2
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine(all)

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