Men who patronize sex workers may be more predisposed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A series of surveys carried out in twenty years suggest that at least one in ten sexually active men in 35 sub-Saharan countries have been or are still clients of sex workers, and these men are about 50% more likely to be living with HIV.
Caroline Hodgins of McGill University, Canada, and colleagues presented these reports in the open-access journal, Public Library of Science (PLOS) Medicine. She and her colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of data obtained from 87 previous surveys of men living in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective was to understand the dynamics of HIV in commercial sex and discover new methods of prevention. The results of the meta-analysis showed that about 8% of participants in the survey who were sexually active had paid for sex. It revealed further that these men were 50% more likely to be living with HIV than other men who reported never paying for sex.
Sex workers remain one of the key populations who have a higher susceptibility to HIV. Research shows that their clients also play a major role in the transmission of the virus; they have, however, been neglected in epidemiological research and HIV prevention efforts with more emphasis being placed on only sex workers
Based on the result of the study, the authors have suggested that male clients of sex workers be considered as a key population that is at high risk of HIV and in need of increased prevention efforts. Such efforts include enhanced availability of HIV testing and education to improve the use of condoms.
The researchers revealed that men who pay for sex in sub-Saharan Africa should be given a higher priority in HIV avoidance. This is because the study shows that these men stand a 50% more chance of contracting HIV than other men.
Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220125/Male-clients-of-sex-workers-more-likely-to-be-living-with-HIV-compared-to-other-men.aspx (Some links may require subscription)
