STI/HIV test result disclosure between female sex workers and their primary, non-commercial male partners in two Mexico-US border cities: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVES
Disclosure of sexually transmitted infections (STI)/HIV diagnoses to sexual partners is not mandated by public health guidelines in Mexico. To assess the feasibility of couples-based STI/HIV testing with facilitated disclosure as a risk-reduction strategy within female sex workers' (FSW) primary partnerships, we examined STI/HIV test result disclosure patterns between FSWs and their primary, non-commercial male partners in two Mexico-US border cities.


METHODS
From 2010 to 2013, 335 participants (181 FSWs and 154 primary male partners) were followed for 24 months. At semiannual visits, participants were tested for STIs/HIV and reported on their disclosure of test results from the previous visit. Multilevel logistic regression was used to identify individual-level and partnership-level predictors of cumulative (1) non-disclosure of ≥1 STI test result and (2) non-disclosure of ≥1 HIV test result within couples during follow-up.


RESULTS
Eighty-seven percent of participants reported disclosing all STI/HIV test results to their primary partners. Non-disclosure of ≥1 STI test result was more common among participants who reported an STI diagnosis as part of the study (adjusted OR=3.05, 95% CI 1.13 to 8.25), while non-disclosure of ≥1 HIV test result was more common among participants in longer-duration partnerships (AOR=1.15 per year, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.28). Drug use before/during sex within partnerships was associated with non-disclosure of both STI (AOR=5.06, 95% CI 1.64 to 15.62) and HIV (AOR=4.51, 95% CI: 1.32 to 15.39) test results.


CONCLUSIONS
STI/HIV test result disclosure was highly prevalent within FSWs' primary partnerships, suggesting couples-based STI/HIV testing with facilitated disclosure may be feasible for these and potentially other high-risk, socially marginalised couples.
['Pines|Heather A|HA|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7173-1981', 'Patterson|Thomas L|TL|', 'Rangel|Gudelia|G|', 'Martinez|Gustavo|G|', 'Bazzi|Angela R|AR|', 'Ulibarri|Monica D|MD|', 'Syvertsen|Jennifer L|JL|', 'Martin|Natasha K|NK|', 'Strathdee|Steffanie A|SA|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D016358:Contact Tracing D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008800:Mexico D008875:Middle Aged D011446:Prospective Studies D060386:Sex Workers D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases D055815:Young Adult
HIV CHLAMYDIA INFECTION GONORRHOEA PREVENTION SYPHILIS