Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. AIDS incidence is much higher than in mainland France and sex work seems to be an important driver of the epidemic. The objective of this study was to describe consistent condom use among female sex workers FSW with their clients and their intimate partners and to identify determinants of non-use of condoms.
A total of sex workers were interviewed. Although, a high proportion of FSW declared using condoms with commercial partners, there is still room for improvement in the prevention of transmission with both commercial and intimate partners. Things are however more nuanced and the epidemic seems to be much worse in certain vulnerable groups 2. Thus sex work is considered an important driver of the epidemic in French Guiana.
The large number of sex partners and the economic and social vulnerability that affects a majority of sex workers put them at greater risk for HIV acquisition and transmission 3. Among HIV women followed in Cayenne, impact measures suggested that for The suspected key role of sex work in the dynamics of the epidemic in French Guiana has hencetoforth never led to the formal study of the behavioural aspects of sex workers in French Guiana.
The repressive aspects of French law towards prostitution have led an increasing number of sex workers to exert their trade in a concealed manner isolating them and putting them at greater risk 5. A study was conducted in — in French Guiana in order to describe the knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and practices of sex workers towards HIV and Sexually transmitted infections STI and to determine the predictive factors of risky sex. The study population consisted of sex workers working in French Guiana, aged 18 years or more having had at least one paid intercourse in the past six months.
Cayenne and its surroundings residents in and Kourou 25 residents in are the main towns on the coast. Maripasoula residents in is the biggest town in the interior, which can only be reached by plane or boat. In all these cities, prostitution is mainly street-based and home-based, except for Maripasoula where there is a brothel. In order to avoid selection biases 6 , the HIV status was not part of the questions asked.
