Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city
BackgroundSex work is a global driver of the HIV epidemic, and the risk of acquiring HIV is 13 times higher for female sex workers (FSWs) compared to the general population. The enrollment and retention of FSWs in HIV care is a challenge and has been a major contributing factor to increased new HIV...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Reproductive Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.1089663/full |
| _version_ | 1797950542001995776 |
|---|---|
| author | Bridget Arinaitwe Philbert Ariho Christine Hilda Naturinda Brian Byoleko Anitah Base Humphrey Atwijukiire Hariat Matavu Jane Kabami Celestine Obua Edith K. Wakida Anne Otwine |
| author_facet | Bridget Arinaitwe Philbert Ariho Christine Hilda Naturinda Brian Byoleko Anitah Base Humphrey Atwijukiire Hariat Matavu Jane Kabami Celestine Obua Edith K. Wakida Anne Otwine |
| author_sort | Bridget Arinaitwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundSex work is a global driver of the HIV epidemic, and the risk of acquiring HIV is 13 times higher for female sex workers (FSWs) compared to the general population. The enrollment and retention of FSWs in HIV care is a challenge and has been a major contributing factor to increased new HIV infections.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study among 30 FSWs and 21 healthcare workers (HCWs) working in antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics at the selected three primary health facilities in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. The study participants were enrolled by both purposive and snowball sampling techniques. We obtained informed consent from all the participants, and data were collected using in-depth interviews and thematically analyzed.ResultsThree themes emerged as facilitators toward enrollment and retention of FSWs into HIV care, namely, (1) good health living, (2) receptive HCWs and availability of health services, and (3) community outreach services and peer support. The barriers are summarized into four major themes: (1) stigma, community discrimination, and beliefs; (2) social obstacles; (3) adverse effects of ART; and (4) inadequate services at the health facilities.ConclusionFSWs are challenged by unsupportive environments and communities where they live and work, which hinders their enrollment and retention in HIV care. Creating awareness of the utilization of HIV care services and extending such services to hotspot communities could enhance the response of HIV-positive FSWs to ART. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:17:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0d8df1f3a544b4ca995518cff5ae2e8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:17:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Reproductive Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0d8df1f3a544b4ca995518cff5ae2e82023-01-18T07:35:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Reproductive Health2673-31532023-01-01410.3389/frph.2022.10896631089663Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara cityBridget Arinaitwe0Philbert Ariho1Christine Hilda Naturinda2Brian Byoleko3Anitah Base4Humphrey Atwijukiire5Hariat Matavu6Jane Kabami7Celestine Obua8Edith K. Wakida9Anne Otwine10Department of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing Science, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Public Health and Biomedical Sciences, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Nursing, Kabale University, Kabale, UgandaDepartment of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, UgandaDepartment of Public Health and Biomedical Sciences, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara, UgandaBackgroundSex work is a global driver of the HIV epidemic, and the risk of acquiring HIV is 13 times higher for female sex workers (FSWs) compared to the general population. The enrollment and retention of FSWs in HIV care is a challenge and has been a major contributing factor to increased new HIV infections.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study among 30 FSWs and 21 healthcare workers (HCWs) working in antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics at the selected three primary health facilities in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. The study participants were enrolled by both purposive and snowball sampling techniques. We obtained informed consent from all the participants, and data were collected using in-depth interviews and thematically analyzed.ResultsThree themes emerged as facilitators toward enrollment and retention of FSWs into HIV care, namely, (1) good health living, (2) receptive HCWs and availability of health services, and (3) community outreach services and peer support. The barriers are summarized into four major themes: (1) stigma, community discrimination, and beliefs; (2) social obstacles; (3) adverse effects of ART; and (4) inadequate services at the health facilities.ConclusionFSWs are challenged by unsupportive environments and communities where they live and work, which hinders their enrollment and retention in HIV care. Creating awareness of the utilization of HIV care services and extending such services to hotspot communities could enhance the response of HIV-positive FSWs to ART.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.1089663/fullHIV healthcarefemale sex workersenrollmentretentionMbarara City |
| spellingShingle | Bridget Arinaitwe Philbert Ariho Christine Hilda Naturinda Brian Byoleko Anitah Base Humphrey Atwijukiire Hariat Matavu Jane Kabami Celestine Obua Edith K. Wakida Anne Otwine Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city Frontiers in Reproductive Health HIV healthcare female sex workers enrollment retention Mbarara City |
| title | Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city |
| title_full | Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city |
| title_fullStr | Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city |
| title_short | Enrollment and retention of female sex workers in HIV care in health facilities in Mbarara city |
| title_sort | enrollment and retention of female sex workers in hiv care in health facilities in mbarara city |
| topic | HIV healthcare female sex workers enrollment retention Mbarara City |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.1089663/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bridgetarinaitwe enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT philbertariho enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT christinehildanaturinda enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT brianbyoleko enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT anitahbase enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT humphreyatwijukiire enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT hariatmatavu enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT janekabami enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT celestineobua enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT edithkwakida enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity AT anneotwine enrollmentandretentionoffemalesexworkersinhivcareinhealthfacilitiesinmbararacity |