HIV Risk Behaviors and Correlates of Inconsistent Condom Use Among Substance Using Migrants at the Mexico/Guatemala Border

• Published in: AIDS and behavior 2017-07, Vol.21 (7), p.2033-2045
• Main Authors: Conners, Erin E., Swanson, Kate, Morales-Miranda, Sonia, Fernández Casanueva, Carmen, Mercer, Valerie J., Brouwer, Kimberly C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; At risk populations; Condoms; Condoms - utilization; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drinking behavior; Drug abuse; Drug use; Female; Guatemala - epidemiology; Health Psychology; Health risk assessment; Health risks; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Logistic Models; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Mexico - epidemiology; Migrants; Original Paper; Populations; Prevalence; Public Health; Regression analysis; Risk; Risk behavior; Risk Factors; Risk taking; Safe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Sex; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; STD; Substance abuse; Substance use; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Syphilis; Syphilis - epidemiology; Transients and Migrants - statistics & numerical data; Unsafe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1726-5

This study assessed correlates of inconsistent condom use with casual partners and the prevalence of sexual risk behaviors and STIs in the Mexico/Guatemala border region using a sample of 392 migrants (303 men, 85 women) who reported current substance use or problem drinking. We ran separate univariate logistic regression models for men and women, and multivariate logistic regression models for men only. Prevalence of syphilis was 1.2% among women and 2.3% among men; HIV prevalence was 2.4% among women and 1.3% among men. Inconsistent condom use with casual partners was higher in women with greater education and lower among women who sold sex. In men, less access to free condoms, drug use with sexual partners, and drug use before sex were independently associated with inconsistent condom use with casual partners. Sexual and substance use risk behaviors were common, and HIV/STI prevention efforts should target both genders and expand beyond most-at risk populations.