Magnitude of HIV Infection and Associated Factors among Female Sex Workers at Hawassa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: HIV is among one of the most serious public health problems. Low-income countries are highly affected by Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV). The burden of HIV varies across various segments of the population. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of HIV infection and associated factors among female sex workers (FSWs). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 FSWs at Integrated Service on Health and Development Organization (ISHDO) located in Hawassa city from July to November 2018. Socio-demographic and related data were collected using a structured questionnaire. About 5 ml of venous blood was collected from study participants; serum was prepared and tested for HIV using the 4(th) generation Microlisa HIV assay. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 21; binary and multivariable logistic regressions were used to determine factors associated with HIV infection among FSWs. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV among FSWs at ISHDO, Hawassa was 19.9% [95% CI: 16, 24.4]. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HIV among FSWs at ISHDO, Hawassa was relatively high compared to national and regional reports. In this study, none of the factors assessed were significantly associated with HIV infection.