PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV AND HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTIONS AMONG FEMALE COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS IN MEKELLE, ETHIOPIA: CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Sexually Transmitted Infections remain major public health problems among the most at risk population groups such as female commercial sex workers. Objective: To assess the magnitude of Hepatitis B Virus and HIV/AIDS and identify the associated factors among female commercial sex workers. Methodology: A Community Based Cross Sectional Study was conducted in Mekelle city. A total of 319 participants were selected using simple random sampling method. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version16.0. Bivariate logistic regression and multivariate analysis were conducted to identify risk factors and to control confounding factors for acquiring Hepatitis B virus and HIV. Result: Overall, the prevalence of HIV and HBV was 11.9% and 6%, respectively. The main factors associated with HIV include: age, educational status, having dependents, birth place, number of years in sex work, income, inconsistent condom use, history of condom breakage, having steady partner, sex during menses, history of genital ulcer, history of STI, alcohol consumption and sexual abuse (P<0.05). The major determinants of HBV were work place of sex workers, inconsistent condom use, sex with male using drugs and use of drug by the sex workers (P<0.05). Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of HIV and HBV were moderate and the problems were also of particular concern. To reduce the prevalence of these diseases among FCSWs provision of condom, early treatment of genital ulcer, health education on consistent condom utilization and not to have sex during menses, are recommended.