UNASSIGNED: female sex workers (FSWs) are vulnerable to acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections due to unprotected sex. Understanding and addressing the gaps in safer sex among FSWs can help to reduce HIV acquisition and transmission. This study described sexual practices, their correlates and use of HIV services among FSWs in Mombasa County, Kenya.
UNASSIGNED: participants were recruited for a baseline survey by a time-location cluster randomized design at predetermined intervals from five bars and five clubs in Mombasa County until a sample size of 160 was reached. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using R were conducted, and p<0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.
UNASSIGNED: nearly all (99%) of the participants were unmarried, and 11% had tertiary education. Ninety-eight percent (98%) reported vaginal intercourse, 51% reported using alcohol/drugs before sex, and 28% practiced unprotected intercourse. About 64% had tested for HIV within three months, 14% believed that it is safe to reuse condoms, and 10% that it is safe to engage in unprotected sex. In bi-variate analysis, FSWs were more likely to engage in unprotected intercourse if they reported more frequent sex, more frequent sex with regular clients, poor HIV knowledge, alcohol/drug use, and violence. In multivariate analysis, risky sexual practices were associated with frequency of sexual intercourse, alcohol/drug use, and poor HIV knowledge.
UNASSIGNED: female sex workers engage in unprotected sex while under the influence of substances, belief in re-using condoms and have high frequency of sexual intercourse. Inadequate knowledge of HIV and substance use significantly correlated with unprotected sex. Interventions to address these modifiable factors are needed to mitigate the risk of HIV among FSWs.

Incarcerated individuals frequently enter prison with a history of high-risk lifestyle behaviours likely to contribute to the transmission of infectious disease. Prisons offer a unique setting in which to advance health equity to an underserved population by disseminating information and education. Sexual health education has the potential to mitigate negative health consequences in the incarcerated population and improve sexual health practices upon community re-entry, benefiting both incarcerated individuals and communities. Limited empirical research examines sexual health information and education in US correctional facilities. Handbooks, given to all people upon incarceration, have the potential to provide vital information and education to promote safe sexual practice and prevent disease transmission. This work, guided by 22 critical sexual health education recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examines the presence (or absence) of recommended sexual health information and guidance in prison handbooks. Handbooks (n = 74) from 49 of 50 US states were qualitatively analysed with results revealing limited information, education or guidance about sexual health/safe sexual practice during incarceration or afterwards. Utilising handbooks for comprehensive sexual education could be a critical step towards reaching members of an already at-risk underserved population.

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a significant source of income for tens of millions of people worldwide. Consistent condom use is pivotal in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STIs. This study assessed sexual behaviors and factors associated with consistent condom use among young male artisanal miners in Kassanda District, Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 304 miners aged 15-24 years. Data -analysis included frequency distributions, chi-squared tests, and binary logistic regression. 89% had sexual intercourse in the past year, 55% had multiple partners, 11% engaged in transactional sex, and only 42% used condoms consistently. Married/cohabiting young men (OR=0.41; CI=0.19-0.87), those with a neutral attitude towards condom use (OR=0.30; CI=0.11-0.85), and those with only their mothers as parents (OR=0.37; CI=0.19-0.73) were less likely to use condoms consistently. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions promoting condom use among married young men and those raised by single mothers to reduce the risk of STI transmission.
L’exploitation minière artisanale et à petite échelle (ASM) constitue une source de revenus importante pour des dizaines de millions de personnes dans le monde. L\'utilisation systématique du préservatif est essentielle à la prévention du VIH/SIDA et d\'autres IST. Cette étude a évalué les comportements sexuels et les facteurs associés à l\'utilisation systématique du préservatif chez les jeunes mineurs artisanaux du district de Kassanda, en Ouganda. Une enquête transversale a été menée auprès de 304 mineurs âgés de 15 à 24 ans. L\'analyse des données comprenait des distributions de fréquences, des tests du chi carré et une régression logistique binaire. 89 % ont eu des rapports sexuels au cours de l\'année écoulée, 55 % ont eu plusieurs partenaires, 11 % se sont livrés à des relations sexuelles transactionnelles et seulement 42 % ont utilisé des préservatifs de manière constante. Jeunes hommes mariés/cohabitants (OR=0,41 ; IC=0,19-0,87), ceux ayant une attitude neutre à l\'égard de l\'utilisation du préservatif (OR=0,30 ; IC=0,11-0,85) et ceux dont la mère est seule comme parent (OR=0,37 ; IC=0,19-0,73) étaient moins susceptibles d’utiliser régulièrement des préservatifs. L\'étude souligne la nécessité d\'interventions ciblées promouvant l\'utilisation du préservatif parmi les jeunes hommes mariés et ceux élevés par des mères célibataires afin de réduire le risque de transmission des IST.

UNASSIGNED: Botswana is one of the countries severely impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Despite an extensive HIV prevention campaign, the incidence of HIV, particularly among women, remains high. Condoms play a significant role in preventing new HIV infections, although men and women do not consistently use them.
UNASSIGNED: The study assessed the individual, relationship and community factors associated with consistent condom use among women in Botswana.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study using secondary data drawn from a national survey on Gender-Based Violence Indicators in 2012.
UNASSIGNED: The primary survey sampled 639 women, aged 18 years and older, using a multistage procedure. The final sample size for the secondary analysis included a total of 480 women who were sexually experienced and had reported using condoms with their male partners. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between consistent condom use and the explanatory variables. The multivariate logistic regression adjusted for cluster/community random effects.
UNASSIGNED: About 43% of the women used condoms consistently in the past year. Consistent condom use was more likely among women who were employed in the past year (adjusted odds ratio = 1.77; 95% confidence interval = 1.25-2.50). While, women who lived with their partners (adjusted odds ratio = 0.46; 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.74), had non-Christian beliefs (adjusted odds ratio = 0.52; 95% confidence interval = 0.29-0.92), perceived that their partners would be angry if they ask to use a condom (adjusted odds ratio = 0.19; 95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.58) and perceived that their community says women need their husband\'s permission to do paid work (adjusted odds ratio = 0.56; 95% confidence interval = 0.38-0.83) were less likely to use condoms consistently.
UNASSIGNED: Consistent condom use among Botswana\'s female population is suboptimal. Consistent condom use was higher among women with employment, and lower among women who lived with their partners, had non-Christian beliefs, feared their partners\' reaction upon asking for condom use and held inequitable community gender beliefs. To enhance women\'s consistent use of condoms, friendly condom use information, female economic empowerment strategies and programmes that involve religious leaders and promote progressive and healthy masculine practices in Sexual Reproductive Health/HIV interventions should be considered.

BACKGROUND: The human immune virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is a major threat to the health of millions of people worldwide. In Ethiopia, there were more than a million people living with HIV/AIDS. The continuous and appropriate use of condoms, particularly among those who have HIV-positive clients, is essential to a comprehensive and long-term approach to avoiding HIV and other STIs as well as unintended pregnancy. But irregular condom use is regularly reported. There is inconsistent reports of the prevalence and correlates of frequent condom use in Ethiopia. This study\'s goal is to provide an overview of the most recent research on magnitude condom use among people living with HIV in Ethiopia.
METHODS: Four databases of PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar were used. Finally, 10 studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The data were collected using a methodical checklist for data extraction, and STATA 14 was utilized for the analysis. The consistent condom use was reported as use of condom in every sexual encounter preceding the study. The prevalence of consistent condom usage among HIV/AIDS patients was calculated by dividing the total number of patients who regularly used condoms by the total number of HIV/AIDS patients and multiplying that result by 100. The factors associated with a consistent use of condom were described using the pooled odds ratio (OR) and calculated based on binary outcomes from the included primary studies. The statistical significance was determined based on the correlation factor as their confidence level should not include 1. Subgroup analyses by region and publication years were carried out by using a random-effects model. The STATA commands of metan magnitude semagnitude, random xlab(.1,5,10) lcols (authors) by (variables)texts(120) xsize(18) ysize (14) were used to carried out the subgroup analysis. To assess the presence of publication bias, funnel plot, Egger test and Begg\'s test at 5% significant level were computed. The asymmetry of funnel plot and the Egger test and Begg\'s test P value of 0 >0.5 showed the absence of publication bias. The Cochrane Q test statistic and I2 tests were used to assess heterogeneity.
RESULTS: The pooled magnitude of consistent condom use was 50.56% (95%CI: 38.09-63.02). The predictors of consistent condom use includes urban residence (AOR = 3.46; 95% CI: 2.24-5.35), marital status (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.18-0.61), and HIV disclosure status (AOR = 5.61;95%CI: 2.29-13.73).
CONCLUSIONS: Half of the HIV/AIDS patients in our study regularly used condoms. According to this study, urban residency, disclosure status, and marital status were all associated with consistent condom use among HIV/AIDS patients. Therefore, health education about condom use should be provided to married couples and people living in rural regions. In addition, disclosing HIV status and the necessity of constant condom usage would be crucial for consistent condom use.

Indigenous youth in the United States are at high-risk for experiencing homelessness related to adverse childhood experiences such as parental substance use and low educational attainment. Such experiences may lead to adverse physical and mental health issues; these youth also have positive attributes of psychological capita (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, optimism) that are related to health outcomes. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to describe demographic attributes and psychological capital in Indigenous youth experiencing homelessness (IYEH) who participated in a longitudinal intervention study related to safe sex behaviors and life satisfaction. From a total of 602, Indigenous participants (n = 111; mean age 21.25 ± 1.82 years) were recruited from drop-in centers in Austin, Texas and Columbus, Ohio. Data were collected immediately after the intervention and at 3- and 6-month intervals. For this analysis, only data collected at the final time-point were used. Valid scales with Cronbach alphas of 0.75-0.92 (Hope, Resilience, Optimism, Self-efficacy for Substance Refusal, Self-efficacy for Safer Sex, Safe Sex Behaviors, Social Connectedness, and Life Satisfaction) were used. The majority of the IYEH reported smoking, drinking, and using drugs. Psychological capital variables of hope, self-efficacy for negotiating safer sex, resilience, and optimism were significantly related to one another, but not to safe sex behaviors or intention to use condoms. Resilience and optimism were significantly related to social connectedness but not to other psychological capital variables. Life satisfaction was significantly associated with hope, resilience, and optimism. Findings have implications for further theory and research development.

BACKGROUND: While the existence of a complex variety of casual sexual relationships (CSRs) has been acknowledged, studies rarely describe the prevalence of condom use across these relationships or how their hybrid nature, specifically relationship characteristics, affect condom use. This study aims to describe condom use within committed relationships and various types of casual sexual relationships (CSRs), examining the influence of relationship characteristics on condom use among culturally validated relationship types (committed, friends with benefits, hookups, booty call).
METHODS: Emerging adults (N = 728, 18-29 years, M = 22.56; SD = 3.01) completed a survey with four blocks: sociodemographics; brief sexual history; relationships over the previous year; and current relationship, assessing relationship type, ten relationship characteristics (e.g., commitment, emotional and sexual exclusivity, partner acquaintance, sexual involvement) and condom use (vaginal, oral, and anal), operationalized by three measures (use at last encounter, likert-type scale and percentage of use).
RESULTS: The results showed patterns in condom use by relationship type and illuminated how relationship characteristics-grouped into three factors: commitment, intimacy, and sexuality-mediate condom use. Condom use was more frequent in vaginal than anal and oral sex, and less frequent in committed relationships. No significant differences were found in condom use in vaginal sex between committed relationships and hookups, with condom in these relationships being significantly lower than in booty call. Intimacy mediated between all contrasts tested and condom use in vaginal sex, while sexuality mediated between committed vs. CSRs and condom use in anal and oral sex.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings point to the need of considering the diversity of CSRs for understanding condom use and highlight the role of intimacy as a relevant mechanism associated with condom use in vaginal sex and of sexuality in oral and anal sex, which should be taken into consideration in the tailoring of health promoting efforts.

OBJECTIVE: to develop a serious game in a mobile application for learning about safe sex and contraception with the active participation of adolescents; and evaluate the content, appearance and usability of the technology with adolescents and experts.
METHODS: this is an applied research project into the development of a serious game, carried out in two stages: development of the technology itself; and evaluation of the content, appearance and usability of the application. Teenagers from a public school in the city of São Paulo-Brazil took part in the technology development stage. The evaluation was carried out by the adolescents and experts in the areas of public health and health technology. The following criteria were used: educational aspects, environment interface and didactic resources.
RESULTS: Prinventon App ® was developed, a serious game set in a virtual city, designed to address adolescent sexuality. The app received 90% positive responses and had a Content Validity Index of 0.80, which was considered adequate. The suggestions and notes were accepted and implemented. The serious game was considered interesting and important in terms of the subject matter.
CONCLUSIONS: it was found that the technology developed can help adolescents learn about safe sex and contraception, by addressing sexuality in adolescence in a playful and realistic way.

We used an Intervention Mapping Approach (IMA) to derive multi-level HIV prevention strategies aiming to develop an HIV prevention intervention program among female sex workers (FSWs). We also aimed at pilot testing the effects of the IMA-based \"HIV Prevention and Awareness Program (HIV-PAP)\" on safe sex behaviors and its determinants among FSWs in Tabriz, Iran. To develop HIV-PAP, we conducted the six-step process of IMA. At Step 1, in a cross-sectional study, 140 FSWs were face-to-face interviewed. At Step 2, the program matrix was provided based on the importance and variability for identifying priority factors. At Steps 3 and 4, the methods and strategies for behavioral change were selected, and the HIV-PAP program components and materials were developed. At Steps 5 and 6, evaluation (as a pilot testing with Static-Group Comparison design) was conducted applying a pre-experimental study, in which 30 FSWs were assigned to intervention (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The intervention group participated in a two-month long program, and one month later, the initial questionnaires were completed by both groups. The respondents (M age: 33.4 years, SD: 9.7) acquired low score (less than 50%) in negotiating for condom use (49.8%) only, and moderate scores (50-65%) in perceived social support (61.6%) and knowledge (60.5%). Adjusted for other variables, the factors (R2 = 32.0%) associated with safe sex behaviors among FSWs were predisposing factors [self-efficacy (β = 0.331), perceived norms (β = 0.945), and perceived barriers (β = 0.258)], condom use negotiation (β = 1.386), and environmental factors (β = 0.333). Our IM-based framework had an adequate fit index (χ2 = 130.8, CFI = 0.78). Looking for inter-group comparison after intervention, we found significant mean difference (MD) for knowledge (MD: 2.18; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) - .38 to 4.74, p < 0.05), self-efficacy to use condom (MD: 6.71; 95% CI - 1.85 to 9.29, p < 0.05), perceived risk (MD: 2.03; 95% CI 0.58, to 3.49, p < 0.05), perceived social support (MD: 4.64; 95% CI - 5.37 to 11.31, p < 0.01), and safe sexual behaviors (MD: 7.75; 95% CI - 4.19 to 9.71, p < 0.05). The HIV-PAP showed effectiveness in promoting safe sexual behaviors and their determinants among FSWs. Healthcare providers should better understand the determinants of safe sexual behaviors among FSWs in the settings with legal prohibitions for sex work. In such communities, they should try to either develop or adapt such stage-specific interventions, within which promoting the above-mentioned factors is the core priorities of the program.

There is scant knowledge regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among female sex workers (FSWs) in Europe. Spain recognized FSWs as a population at high risk of acquiring HIV and granted them subsidized access to PrEP when the medication first became nationally available in 2019. Nevertheless, FSWs represented just 0.2% of PrEP users in 2022. A total of 102 HIV-negative FSWs reached through field activities of local NGOs located in Madrid were interviewed between January and March 2022. Participants were selected through convenience sampling over a fixed recruitment period. FSWs completed a 73-item survey with questions about individual, occupational, social, and structural determinants. The objective of this study was to identify (1) the prevalence of intention to use oral PrEP and its determinants, and (2) the prevalence of inconsistent condom use, which is the risk factor that qualifies FSWs for subsidized PrEP in the national health system, and its determinants. Importantly, the study sample overrepresented street-based FSWs (71.6%). A quarter (25.5%) of the study participants used condoms inconsistently. PrEP awareness was low (9.8%), but intention to use PrEP was high (72.5%). Intention to use oral PrEP was significantly associated with feeling protected against HIV by taking PrEP and perceiving insufficient protection by condom use alone. Inconsistent condom use was significantly associated with frequent heroin/cocaine use, having clients who inject drugs, and willingness to take PrEP despite it not protecting 100% against HIV infection. FSWs, in this specific sample, are likely to benefit from targeted PrEP awareness campaigns and implementation projects that prioritize those who use drugs and are more likely to engage in condomless sex.