Women engaged in sex work (WESW) who use drugs are a key population in Kazakhstan's HIV epidemic. Global research suggests susceptibility to HIV varies by sex work environment. This study aims to identify evidence-based typologies of WESW and examine their associations with HIV risk. We surveyed 400 WESW who use drugs in two Kazakhstani cities, including questions on sociodemographic characteristics, social, physical, and economic risk environments, and sexual risk behaviors. Latent class analysis identified four distinct typologies of sex work practice: occasional sex work (n = 61, 15%), professional sex work for money (n = 187, 47%), sex work in exchange for drugs, goods, or other services (n = 117, 29%), and managed sex work under a boss/pimp/madam (n = 35, 9%). We then used logistic regression to examine associations between typologies and risk behaviors. Compared to professional sex work, occasional sex work was associated with lower odds of multiple sexual partners (aOR:0.46[95%CI:0.24,0.90]), of multiple paid clients (aOR:0.25[0.13,0.49]), and of > 1 instance of unprotected sex with a paying partner (aOR:0.33[0.17,0.63]). Compared to professional sex work, sex work for nonmonetary items was associated with higher odds of multiple sexual partners (aOR:1.85[0.96,3.67]) and of > 1 instance of unprotected sex with a paying partner (aOR:1.71[1.01,2.93]). Results suggest heterogeneity among WESW who use drugs in Kazakhstan, and that typologies of sex work are associated with varying HIV risk environment factors and risk behaviors. Effective HIV prevention efforts must be tailored to address these varying risk environments and the resulting variety of needs.
Keywords: Central Asia; HIV; Risk Environment; Sex work; Substance use.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.