Stigma Research and Prevention 2.0 Stepping Up the Pace for Evidence-Based Stigma- Reduction Interventions for HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care Improving access to HIV prevention and treatment for stigmatised populations: experiences with FSW from Zimbabwe. Frances M Cowan
15
Embed
Stigma Research and Prevention 2.0 Stepping Up the Pace for Evidence-Based Stigma- Reduction Interventions for HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care Improving.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Stigma Research and Prevention 2.0Stepping Up the Pace for Evidence-Based Stigma- Reduction Interventions for HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care
Improving access to HIV prevention and treatment for stigmatised populations: experiences with FSW from Zimbabwe.
Frances M Cowan
Collaborative project
Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care and
Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research, Zimbabwe,
in collaboration with UNFPA, PSI Zimbabwe, the National AIDS Council, University College London, the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and RTI International.
Background
In Zimbabwe - criminalization of all forms of sex work, e.g. ‘loitering for the purposes of prostitution’
Situational analysis commissioned by National AIDS Council et al in 2007 SWs poorly served by existing health services
Establishment of national SW Program, including empowerment component
‘Sisters with a Voice’
Established in 2009 with 5 sites, expanded in 2013 to 36 sites nationally
Embedded within NAC’s National Behaviour Change Programme
‘Sisters’ services– Developed in close
consultation with SWs and other stakeholders
– Clinical services supported by network of 130 peer educators
– Half peer educators trained as paralegals
– Community mobilisation activities
– > 17,800 women seen to date
Access to Health Care sub-optimal
“I was afraid that I would be arrested. …..”
“ It’s just the thought of being seen as a sex worker that gives me the shivers …”
“We are not treated well in hospitals. Sometimes if you are suffering from an STI, they will embarrass and
humiliate you so that other people will know.”
RDS survey in 3 sites in 2011 (n=870)
• 50% of HIV+ve knew their status
• 25-37% of HIV+ve SWs were on ART
• 12-22% of HIV–ve SWs had HTC within 6 months
• 34-67% had been stopped by police in past month
PLoS ONE 2013 8(10): e77080
Stigma reduces access to ART
She opened my file and I saw her face just changed instantly and she looked at me like I was disgusting her.
Her first words to me were ‘so you are a prostitute and you actually have the guts to come here to waste our time and drugs on you’. By the time she started taking my
history I was already demoralized and I wanted to cry
BMC Public Health 2013 Mtetwa
Cluster RCT to test whether onsite access to ART and PrEP within ‘Sisters’ programme coupled with enhanced community mobilisation will:• Increase proportion of sex workers
with an undetectable viral load• Affect on HIV rates among the general
population in Zimbabwe
Conduct baseline survey using RDS in 14 outreach sitesRecruit ≈ 200 SWs per site (total n=2,800 )
Usual Care SitesHealth education, HTC Referral to government HIV care services as needed, Syndromic STI Contraception,CondomsCervical Ca screening,Legal advice
Random allocation of 7 matched sites to intervention arms
SAPPH-IRe Ix SitesUsual care plus:HIV negatives•Repeat HTC, Offer of PrEPHIV positives•PoC CD4; On site ARTIntensified community mobilisation with SMS adherence supportAdherence Sisters program
After 18 months conduct endline survey using RDS in all 14 sites. Recruit ≈ 200 SWs per site (total n=2,800 )
Process E
valuationP
rogram data collection
Stigma assessed in baseline survey
• Extent of social cohesion amongst SWs• Stigma as a result of work as SW
– Enacted and internalised• Health care access
– Including for HTC, HIV care, ART etc• Harassment from police• Fear of disclosure
• 14 sites• 200 women /site• 2722 recruited• 80.9% separated / widowed• 33.2% - no religion• Weighted HIV prevalence 56% (95% CI 50-63%)• Ever GBV 53% (min-max 32- 80%)• Stopped by police last year 48% (min max 16-92%)• Fear SW disclosure by HCW 25% (min max 16-36%)