This study analyzed how the culture of origin, educational level, sexual orientation, and experience of male sex workers may mediate their commercial sexual behaviors. A total of 100 Spanish agency male sex workers were interviewed. Most of them were young men, Latin American, homosexual, and had middle-level education. Our results showed that cultural differences and sexual orientation could i...

Despite limited safety data and the absence of efficacy data, several studies have reported that the female condom is being used for anal sex by men who have sex with men. We describe providers' awareness of female condom use during anal sex among their clients and their experiences in counseling clients. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 78 health-care providers recruited from vario...

CONTEXT Transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with unprotected sex among multiple anonymous sex partners. The role of the Internet in risk of STDs is not known. OBJECTIVE To compare risk of STD transmission for persons who seek sex partners on the Internet with risk for persons not seeking sex partners on the In...

Background: Since 2000, Iran has been delivering training and treatment services, including methadone therapy, to HIV positive patients through triangular clinics. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these activities at the HIV Triangulation Centre in the city of Kerman, Iran, through clients’ views. Methods: Participants were recruited using a convenience sample and assessed throu...

Objective To describe the prevalence and predictors of condom use and sexual risk in the male clients of Hijra sex workers (HSWs) in Karachi, Pakistan. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Karachi, Pakistan. Participants Clients of HSWs were recruited with assistance from HSWs and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on men who have sex with men (MSM) during October-November 2010. ...

There is growing evidence about the importance of female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients as bridging groups for the HIV epidemic. In China the role of FSWs is key to the future trajectory of the epidemic. This study was carried out to explore factors which may increase the potential for FSWs to act as vectors for HIV transmission. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 84 sex wor...

■ While sex work is a universal phenomenon, it is also frequently illegal and, therefore, clandestine. This makes it difficult to determine the true extent of the sex work industry, although it is acknowledged to be substantial and has apparently been increasing in recent years. This increase has been attributed to various factors, including changes in political, civil and socioeconomic conditi...

In Thyolo District, Malawi, a study was conducted among commercial sex workers (CSWs) attending mobile clinics in order to; determine the prevalence and pattern of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), describe sexual behaviour among those who have an STI and identify risk factors associated with 'no condom use'. There were 1817 CSWs, of whom 448 (25%) had an STI. Of these, the commonest infe...

Male clients of female sex workers (FSWs) are epidemiologically important because they can form bridge groups linking high- and low-risk subpopulations. However, because male clients are hard to locate, they are not frequently studied. Recent research emphasizes searching for high-risk behavior groups in locales where new sexual partnerships form and the threat of HIV transmission is high. Sub-...