TABLE 3.
Characteristics of 212 female sex workers and their 212 non-commercial male partners in two Mexico-USA border cities (N = 424)
| Variable | HIV/STI-positive (n = 42; 10 %) | HIV/STI-negative (n = 382; 90 %) | Overall (n = 424; 100 %) | Marginal effects (robust SE)a for FSWs' HIV/STI positivity (n = 212) | Marginal effects (robust SE)a for men's HIV/STI positivity (n = 212) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographics | |||||
| Lives in Tijuana (vs. Ciudad Juarez) | 21 (50 %) | 187 (49 %) | 208 (49 %) | −0.024 (0.046) | 0.030 (0.035) |
| Median age in years (interquartile range; IQR) | 33 (27–36) | 35 (29–42) | 34 (29–41) | −0.001 (0.002) | −0.006 (0.002) *** |
| Median educational attainment in years (IQR) | 8 (6–9) | 7 (6–9) | 7 (6–9) | 0.010 (0.007) | −0.001 (0.006) |
| Born in study site (vs. someplace else) | 19 (45 %) | 180 (47 %) | 199 (47 %) | 0.005 (0.044) | −0.020 (0.035) |
| Income <2,500 pesos per month (<$200 USD) | 14 (33 %) | 170 (45 %) | 184 (43 %) | −0.038 (0.047) | −0.0398 (0.035) |
| Ever been arrested (lifetime) | 28 (67 %) | 228 (60 %) | 256 (60 %) | 0.0168 (0.045) | 0.048 (0.039) |
| Relationship factors | |||||
| Median relationship duration in years (IQR) b | 3 (1–5) | 3 (2–6) | 3 (2–5) | −0.002 (0.006) | −0.006 (0.004) |
| Median % vaginal sex acts were unprotected in past month (IQR)b | 100 (71–100) | 100 (83–100) | 100 (82–100) | −0.098 (0.073) | −0.001 (0.064) |
| Median trust of partner on 10-point scale (IQR) | 9 (8–10) | 9 (7–10) | 9 (7–10) | 0.008 (0.012) | 0.006 (0.008) |
| Median relationship satisfaction, 20-point scale (IQR) | 15 (14, 15) | 15 (14, 15) | 15 (14, 15) | 0.006 (0.008) | −0.001 (0.007) |
| Male financial dependence on FSW's incomeb | 9 (21 %) | 115 (30 %) | 124 (29 %) | −0.021 (0.051) | −0.064 (0.046) * |
| Median relationship control, 48-point scale (IQR)c | 32 (26–36) | 30 (26–36) | 30 (26–36) | −0.003 (0.003) | 0.002 (0.004) |
| Median decision-making dominance, 24-point scale (IQR)c | 16 (15, 16) | 16 (16, 17) | 16 (16, 17) | −0.016 (0.006) *** | 0.002 (0.007) |
| Perpetrated/caused any conflict within steady relationship, past year d | 26 (62 %) | 180 (47 %) | 206 (49 %) | 0.007 (0.045) | 0.110 (0.042) *** |
| Victim of any conflict within steady relationship, past yeard | 26 (62 %) | 176 (46 %) | 202 (48 %) | 0.034 (0.045) | 0.110 (0.044) ** |
| Sexual behaviors | |||||
| Sexually satisfied with steady partner (vs. not satisfied) | 41 (98 %) | 342 (90 %) | 383 (90 %) | 0.000 (0.000) | 0.000 (0.000) |
| Self-identified as bisexual (vs. heterosexual) | 3 (7 %) | 11 (3 %) | 14 (3 %) | 0.254 (0.123) * | 0.022 (0.058) |
| Male partner ever exchanged sex for money, drugs, other material goods (among men only, n = 212) | 9 (60 %) | 64 (32 %) | 73 (34 %) | −0.005 (0.046) | −0.030 (0.035) |
| Male partner had any outside sex partners, past 6 months (among men only, n = 212) | 7 (47 %) | 58 (29 %) | 65 (31 %) | −0.042 (0.058) | −0.011 (0.045) |
| Had any “steady” concurrent sex partners (including regular clients), past year | 3 (7 %) | 64 (17 %) | 67 (16 %) | 0.000 (0.000) | 0.000 (0.000) |
| FSW had any regular clients, past month (among FSWs only, n = 212) | 20 (74 %) | 166 (90 %) | 186 (88 %) | −0.126 (0.059) ** | −0.095 (0.043) ** |
| FSW often/always uses condoms with clients vs. rarely/never, past month (among FSWs only, n = 212) | 15 (56 %) | 103 (56 %) | 118 (56 %) | 0.003 (0.046) | −0.039 (0.035) |
| Drug abuse (past 6 months) | |||||
| Used heroin | 27 (64 %) | 239 (63 %) | 266 (63 %) | 0.046 (0.048) * | 0.012 (0.036) |
| Used methamphetamine | 17 (40 %) | 114 (30 %) | 131 (31 %) | 0.029 (0.046) | 0.056 (0.035) ** |
| Used cocaine use | 10 (24 %) | 75 (20 %) | 85 (20 %) | 0.048 (0.053) | 0.001 (0.044) |
| Used crack | 8 (19 %) | 51 (13 %) | 59 (14 %) | 0.040 (0.057) | 0.009 (0.052) |
| Used inhalants | 6 (14 %) | 28 (7 %) | 34 (8 %) | 0.000 (0.000) | 0.000 (0.000) |
| Injected any drugs | 27 (64 %) | 228 (60 %) | 255 (60 %) | 0.067 (0.048) * | 0.012 (0.036) |
| FSW used drugs before sex with male clients (among FSWs only, n = 212) | 7 (26 %) | 56 (30 %) | 63 (30 %) | 0.001 (0.046) | 0.014 (0.035) |
| “High” on drugs before/during sex with steady partner | 23 (55 %) | 211 (55 %) | 234 (55 %) | −0.017 (0.046) | 0.014 (0.036) |
| Drunk before/during sex with steady partner | 18 (43 %) | 114 (30 %) | 132 (31 %) | 0.049 (0.048) | 0.040 (0.036) |
*p < 0.10, **p < 0.05, ***p < 0.01
aMarginal effects (shown with robust standard errors) represent the change in probability of having positive test result(s) for HIV/STIs associated with a 1-unit change in each independent variable; model controls for couple-specific effects
bDyad average (uses information from both partners' responses within a given couple)
cSexual relationship power subscales
dConflict subscales (combined) for perpetrating or being the victim of psychological aggression, physical assault, injury, and sexual coercion within relationships