SOME FACTORS PROMOTING SEX EMPLOYMENT IN ETHOPIA

Extensive surveys on HIV prevalence have been carried out in urban settlements of Ethiopia in 1988 -1989, among females involved in multi-partner sexual contacts (MPSC) (1,2). Pre- and post-test counselling was a permanent component of these surveys. Through individual interviews preceding blood drawing, valuable information was collected on the social status and STD/pregnancy protection practiced by the target group (3,4). The questionnaire however did not cover several important subjects such as factors provoking prostitution and economic status of the MPSC females. In order to obtain this information, a limited scale survey was carried out in three cities: Addis Ababa, Assela and Nazareth in 1989, among 339 MPSC females selected at random (113, 128 and 98 individuals in each town respectively)

PREGNANCY/STD PROTECTIVE MEANS USED BY HIV FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN ETHIOPIA

SUMMARY: In 1988 and 1989, 2663 women in Addis Ababa and 6564 women in 23 other towns of the country practicing multi-partner sexual contacts (MPSC) were interviewed during sero-prevalence surveys for HIV infection. Outside the capital city 42.2% (n=2771) of the women reported using oral contraceptives always or often and only 1.8% of all women in the study always or often used condoms. The results were similar in the capital city. The study indicated that condoms and spermicides known to protect from sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV infection were very rarely used by the females practicing MPSC in urban areas of Ethiopia. Since the use of condoms by the study groups was low in general, no significant difference in the frequencies of STD was found between females using them often and non-users. Immediate intensive actions should be directed at the provision of condoms and intensified education aimed at behavior change in order to decrease transmission of HIV