Table 3 Sociodemographic, sex work, risk behaviour and programme engagement characteristics of female sex workers enrolled in 2016–2017 and 2021–2023 respondent-driven sampling surveys

From: Decline in HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Zimbabwe between 2013 and 2023

Characteristics

Pooled surveys 2016–2017 (N = 4005)

Pooled surveys 2021–2023 (N = 4475)

% Difference in means (95% CIs)

p-value

n/N

Cluster mean [range]

n/N

Cluster mean [range]

Socio-demographics characteristics

Median age (years)

4005

29.4 years [27–31]

 

28.7 years [25–31]

−0.7 years (−1.8–0.4)

0.200

Education (%)

      

Primary only or less

1046/4005

30.5 [14.7–49.3]

831/4475

20.3 [13.9–39.4]

−10.2 (−16.3–−4.2)

0.002

Secondary or higher

2958/4005

69.5 [50.7–85.3]

3640/4475

79.7 [60.6–86.1]

10.2 (4.1–16.2)

0.002

Marital status (%)

      

Never married

854/4005

19.4 [9.0–42.1]

1231/4475

25.2 [9.7–55.1]

5.8 (−3.4–14.9)

0.210

Divorced/separated/widowed

3087/4005

79.1 [55.1–91.0]

3045/4475

68.8 [39.9 – 86.1]

−10.3 (−20.1–−0.5)

0.040

Married

64/4005

2.0 [0.1–5.9]

199/4475

6.1 [0.6 – 14.0]

4.1 (1.9–6.4)

0.001

Sex work characteristics

Started selling sex at an age <20 years (%)

1071/4005

25.8 [14.2–37.8]

1856/4475

38.9 [24.4–56.0]

13.1 (6.9–19.2)

<0.001

>5 years since starting sex work (%)

1548/4005

39.9 [31.3–58.4]

2275/4475

50.4 [34.5–65.2]

10.5 (4.3–16.7)

0.002

Median no. of other sex workers known

4005

12 [7–20]

4475

5.5 [4−8]

−6.5 (−8.8–−4.2)

<0.001

Median no. of other sex workers seen in the past month

4005

10.1 [6−15]

4475

4.1 [3−5]

−5.9 (−7.4–−4.4)

<0.001

Median no. of clients in the past weeka

4005

5.8 [4–10]

4475

4.9 [3–6]

−0.9 (−1.9–0.1)

0.080

Median no. of steady partners in the past yearb

4005

1.0 [1.0–1.0]

4475

3.5 [1–6]

2.5 (1.8–3.2)

<0.001

Risk behaviour characteristics

Condomless sexc (%)

2014/4005

54.8 [44.0–70.8]

3204/4475

73.8 [62.3–87.2]

19.0 (13.4–24.6)

<0.001

STI symptomsd (%)

1345/4001

35.4 [18.6–58.9]

2482/4475

58.3 [32.3–71.0]

22.9 (14.9–30.9)

<0.001

STI biomarker (%)

      

 Gonorrhoea (NG)

53/1214

3.6 [2.2–5.1]

576/3125

21.0 [5.2–45.2]

17.4 (10.2–24.6)

<0.001

 Chlamydia (CT)

54/1214

4.3 [4.0–4.7]

724/3125

23.8 [16.9–43.8]

19.5 (15.1–23.8)

<0.001

 Trichomoniasis (TV)

150/1221

12.2 [11.6–12.8]

1003/3125

34.3 [12.4–76.3]

22.1 (13.1–31.2)

<0.001

PrEPe (%)

n/a

n/a

755/2841

22.9 [11.7–37.3]

–

–

Service engagement characteristics

Ever HIV tested (%)

3942/4005

97.9 [95.4−100.0]

4343/4475

97.4 [93.5–99.8]

−0.6 (−1.9–0.8)

0.390

Last HIV test within 3 months (%)

1774/3942

45.9 [30.3–63.6]

2034/4343

47.5 [34.1–61.1]

1.6 (−4.1–7.4)

0.560

Attended CeSHHAR clinic in the past 12 monthsf (%)

2004/4005

61.1 [23.2–82.0]

2172/4475

54.1 [26.2–69.1]

−7.1 (−18.2–4.1)

0.200

Attended outreach meeting in the past 12 monthsg (%)

1290/4005

37.6 [14.9–63.4]

2109/4475

50.4 [21.6–65.4]

12.9 (3.1–22.6)

0.012

  1. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. Data are number of participants. P-values (two-sided) are based on t test.
  2. aIn the past week, how many clients have you had sex with?
  3. bHow many steady partners have you had in last 12 months (include current partner if you have one)?
  4. cCondomless sex - in the past month, how often did you use condoms with your commercial partner/client and with your permanent/steady partner.
  5. dSelf-report of at least one STI symptom. Symptom options: bad-smelling, abnormal genital discharge, genital sore or ulcer, pelvic pain, genital sores or itching, genital warts or an unusual vaginal discharge, any disease got through sexual contact.
  6. ePrEP provision started in the programme in 2017 - data were not collected on PrEP until 2021.
  7. fIn the past 12 months, have you attended the Sisters with a Voice/CeSHHAR clinic. In 2017 this was asked for the past 6 months i.e. in the past 6 months, have you attended the Sisters with a Voice clinic.
  8. gIn the past 12 months, have you been to one or more meetings where a sex-worker peer educator/empowerment worker has spoken (meeting means with more than one sex worker)? In 2017 this was asked for the past 6 months i.e. in the past 6 months, have you been to one or more meetings where a sex-worker peer educator/empowerment worker has spoken (meeting means with more than one sex worker)?
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