Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda
Objective Venues where people socialize, such as bars, play a significant role in HIV transmission risk. However, little research has been done that identifies characteristics of high-risk venues, to inform HIV prevention efforts. This study identified clusters of social venues in Uganda and their r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-05-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065239.full |
| _version_ | 1797817169726144512 |
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| author | Kristien Michielsen Freddie Ssengooba Susan Babirye Sharon Stucker Weir |
| author_facet | Kristien Michielsen Freddie Ssengooba Susan Babirye Sharon Stucker Weir |
| author_sort | Kristien Michielsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Venues where people socialize, such as bars, play a significant role in HIV transmission risk. However, little research has been done that identifies characteristics of high-risk venues, to inform HIV prevention efforts. This study identified clusters of social venues in Uganda and their relationship with HIV vulnerability of young venue workers (15–24 years). We also assessed availability of HIV prevention services at the venues.Design and setting This was a secondary analysis of data from a larger cross-sectional survey of social venues in 25 districts of Uganda.Participants A total of 480 venues that employed young workers were included in this study.Analysis Hierarchical cluster and mixed-effects regression analyses were conducted.Results Four clusters were adopted: cluster 1 represented 127 venues (mainly alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex); cluster 2 represented 80 venues (mainly alcohol-serving sex work venues without a provision of on-site sex); cluster 3 represented 113 venues (mainly alcohol-serving venues without sex work or on-site sex); and cluster 4 represented 160 venues (non-alcohol-serving venues). We found a positive correlation between venue clusters and HIV vulnerability. Workers who belonged to cluster 1 (alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex) had a 0.15 increase in HIV vulnerability compared with those in alcohol-serving venues without sex work or a provision of on-site sex (cluster 3) (coefficient: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.030 to 0.287) after adjusting for age, sex and marital status. Thirty-seven per cent of cluster 1 venues reported any HIV prevention services in the past 12 months.Conclusion Alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex (cluster 1) appeared to reinforce vulnerability to HIV in this study and should be targeted with HIV prevention interventions. Such venues can amplify HIV transmission by facilitating sexual partner coupling and on-site sex. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:48:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9bc28cc2486c421fa72dadaf5db35988 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:48:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-9bc28cc2486c421fa72dadaf5db359882023-05-29T20:00:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-05-0113510.1136/bmjopen-2022-065239Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in UgandaKristien Michielsen0Freddie Ssengooba1Susan Babirye2Sharon Stucker Weir3Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Universiteit Gent, Gent, BelgiumDepartment of Health Policy Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Health Policy Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda4 Carolina Population Center, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USAObjective Venues where people socialize, such as bars, play a significant role in HIV transmission risk. However, little research has been done that identifies characteristics of high-risk venues, to inform HIV prevention efforts. This study identified clusters of social venues in Uganda and their relationship with HIV vulnerability of young venue workers (15–24 years). We also assessed availability of HIV prevention services at the venues.Design and setting This was a secondary analysis of data from a larger cross-sectional survey of social venues in 25 districts of Uganda.Participants A total of 480 venues that employed young workers were included in this study.Analysis Hierarchical cluster and mixed-effects regression analyses were conducted.Results Four clusters were adopted: cluster 1 represented 127 venues (mainly alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex); cluster 2 represented 80 venues (mainly alcohol-serving sex work venues without a provision of on-site sex); cluster 3 represented 113 venues (mainly alcohol-serving venues without sex work or on-site sex); and cluster 4 represented 160 venues (non-alcohol-serving venues). We found a positive correlation between venue clusters and HIV vulnerability. Workers who belonged to cluster 1 (alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex) had a 0.15 increase in HIV vulnerability compared with those in alcohol-serving venues without sex work or a provision of on-site sex (cluster 3) (coefficient: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.030 to 0.287) after adjusting for age, sex and marital status. Thirty-seven per cent of cluster 1 venues reported any HIV prevention services in the past 12 months.Conclusion Alcohol-serving sex work venues with a provision of on-site sex (cluster 1) appeared to reinforce vulnerability to HIV in this study and should be targeted with HIV prevention interventions. Such venues can amplify HIV transmission by facilitating sexual partner coupling and on-site sex.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065239.full |
| spellingShingle | Kristien Michielsen Freddie Ssengooba Susan Babirye Sharon Stucker Weir Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda BMJ Open |
| title | Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda |
| title_full | Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda |
| title_short | Social venues and HIV vulnerability of young venue workers: a cluster analysis of data from a national-level cross-sectional survey of social venues in Uganda |
| title_sort | social venues and hiv vulnerability of young venue workers a cluster analysis of data from a national level cross sectional survey of social venues in uganda |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065239.full |
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