Abstract

BackgroundSex trading is a recognized risk factor for human immune deficiency virus infection and other sexually transmitted infections among non-injecting drug users (NIDUs). However, very little research has addressed the factors associated with sex trading among male NIDUs in Myanmar.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2010 using the respondent-driven sampling method. In total, 210 NIDUs aged between 18 and 49 years, with no history of injecting drug use, and who used non-injected illicit drugs in the last 6 months were recruited. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire to collect information on participants’ sexual and drug use behaviors. Binary and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to analyze the resulting data.ResultsOf 210 NIDUs, 84 (40%) reported involvement in the sex trade during the last 3 months. In the adjusted model, factors associated with sex trade involvement included homosexual preference (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61–14.95), having more than two partners (AOR = 3.88; 95% CI 1.55–9.72), had a regular job (AOR = 5.10; 95% CI 1.65–15.72), use of stimulant drugs rather than opiate (AOR = 2.38; 95% CI 1.10–5.15), and who used drugs more than twice per day.ConclusionsMore than one third of NIDUs were involved in sex trading. This study suggested that further comprehensive intervention programs that aim to reduce risk factors of trading sex among NIDUs may consider including NIDUs who used stimulant drugs, had regular/full-time jobs, used drugs more than twice per day, and had homosexual preferences.

Highlights

  • Sex trading is a recognized risk factor for human immune deficiency virus infection and other sexually transmitted infections among non-injecting drug users (NIDUs)

  • Descriptive statistics In total, 210 NIDUs, 31.4% belonged to the Shan ethnic group and more than half of them (55.2%) were below the age 25 years (Table 1)

  • This study shows that NIDUs who used drugs before and during sex in the past 3 months were positively associated with sex trading

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Summary

Introduction

Sex trading is a recognized risk factor for human immune deficiency virus infection and other sexually transmitted infections among non-injecting drug users (NIDUs). Very little research has addressed the factors associated with sex trading among male NIDUs in Myanmar. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, are one of the recognized risk factors among drug users [2]. The risk of STIs/HIV infection may still be present among non-injecting drug users (NIDUs) through highrisk sexual behaviors even though they do not inject drug intravenously [4, 5]. Many studies reported that sex trading was associated with non or inconsistent use of condoms [7,8,9,10] homelessness, unemployment, less education, drug use, and heterosexual (bisexual) behavior [11]. Sex trading is associated with higher rates of adult sexual victimization, experience of violence, and previous history of being sexually abused in childhood [7]

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