Condom access: Associations with consistent condom use among female sex workers in two northern border cities of Mexico

AIDS Educ Prev. 2010 Oct;22(5):455-65. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2010.22.5.455.

Abstract

To determine whether condom access is associated with consistent condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, between 2004 and 2006 we administered a questionnaire to 924 FSWs who reported unprotected sex with a client in the past 2 months. Of these women, 43% reported consistent ("often" or "always") condom use, 74% said condoms were available, and 38% reported having access to free condoms. In a logistic regression, factors positively associated with consistent condom use were condom availability (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-3.03), condom affordability (AOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.25-2.38) and self-efficacy (AOR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.54-3.04). Factors inversely associated with consistent condom use included poor financial status (AOR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.47-0.90), methamphetamine use (AOR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.40-0.83), alcohol use (AOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.96), and recent injection drug use (AOR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.39-0.97). While increased condom availability may improve condom use among FSWs in general, interventions to broaden condom use among lower income and drug-using FSWs are critically needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Condoms / statistics & numerical data*
  • Condoms / supply & distribution*
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mexico
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Odds Ratio
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Sex Work*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires