Socio-demographic, Behavioral and Health Characteristics of Underage Female Sex Workers in Mozambique: The Need to Protect a Generation from HIV Risk.
Characteristics, HIV risk, and program coverage for underage female sex workers (FSW) are rarely systematically described worldwide. We compared characteristics of underage (15-17 years old) and adult (≥18 years old) FSW in three main urban areas of Mozambique (Maputo, Beira and Nampula) using data from three respondent-driven sampling surveys implemented in 2011-2012. Among survey participants, 9.8 % (39/400) in Maputo, 17.0 % (70/411) in Beira and 25.6 % (110/429) in Nampula were underage. Over half reported performing sex work to afford daily living, and 29.7-50.0 % had unprotected sex with their last client. The proportion of underage FSW having accessed care and prevention services was lower compared to adult FSW. While HIV prevalence among underage FSW was lower than in adults, it increased markedly with age. Our results point to the urgency of expanding prevention and care programs geared towards underage FSW.
['Inguane|Celso|C|', 'Horth|Roberta Z|RZ|', 'Miranda|Angélica E|AE|', 'Young|Peter W|PW|', 'Sathane|Isabel|I|', 'Cummings|Beverley E|BE|', 'Augusto|Ângelo|Â|', 'Raymond|Henry F|HF|', 'Mcfarland|Willi|W|']
D000293:Adolescent D002648:Child D005260:Female D015658:HIV Infections D015438:Health Behavior D006801:Humans D009073:Mozambique D015995:Prevalence D011477:Sex Work D060386:Sex Workers D047568:Unsafe Sex
Underage Mozambique HIV FSW Prevention