Understanding the Factors Associated with Alcohol Use among Female Sex Workers in a High HIV Prevalence Northeast State of India

Background: The paper illustrates the factors associated with alcohol use among FSWs in Dimapur, an important commercial hub of Nagaland, which is a high HIV prevalence state of India. Methods: The analysis is based on 417 FSWs aged 18 years or older who participated in round 2 of Integrated Behavioural and Biological Assessment (IBBA). Results: There is a significant association between ever consumption of alcohol use in the past month among FSWs and socio-demographic, sexual behaviour and safe sexual practices (p<0.05). Binary logistic regression of Alcohol use among FSWs found that greater than 25 years of FSWs (2.2 times, P ≤ 0.10), Divorced/ Separated (0.41 times, p ≤ 0.10), >10th standard of education (0.311 times, p ≤ 0.001), drug use (5 times, p ≤ 0.001), sharing of injecting drugs with the partner ( 3.7 times, p ≤ 0.001) were independently associated with Alcohol use respectively .Those FSWs have first sex and first started sex work at age 15-20 years were 6.3 (p ≤ 0.05) and 2.4 (p ≤ 0.05) times more likely to use alcohol . One significant finding is those female sex workers were less likely to use alcohol consumption that has 5-9 clients per week. Alcohol using older (25+ years) FSWs were 9 times more likely to have HIV. Married FSWs those using alcohol, were less likely to have HIV, and those alcohol using FSWs aged at first sex was 15-20 years, 5 times more likely to have HIV seropositivity. Alcohol using FSWs were 30 times more likely to have HIV, who served their client at Lodge/ Hotel. Conclusion: The findings suggest a need to integrate intervention for alcohol use and related problems in multilevel contexts and with multiple components to effectively reduce alcohol use and to mitigate inconsistent condom use.

Author(s):

Santosh Kumar Sharma, Shri Kant Singh, Bedanga Talukdar

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