Female sex workers and HIV

In studies in London the risk to prostitutes (female sex workers (FSWs)) of HIV has been shown not to be due to the commercial relationships they participate in - during these they use barrier contraception - but from their non-commercial liasons, during which barrier contraception is much less likely to be used.

At the same time, a related paper concluded that the male partners of prostitutes could not be assumed to be at risk if this was their only risk activity.

Study evidence has shown the prevalence of HIV in English FSWs is the same as other females attending GUM clinics.

Reference:

• Ward H, Day S, Mezzone J, et al . Prostitution and risk of HIV: female prostitutes in London. Brit Med J 1993;307:356-8
• Mc Grath-Lone L et al. . The sexual health of female sex workers compared with other women in England: analysis of cross-sectional data from genitourinary medicine clinics. Sex Transm Infect. 2014 Feb 3