Risky Business? : HIV Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Among At-Risk Mobile Workers in Turkey
This study focuses on, what is believed to be, a key client group of sex workers: mobile workers. While several studies have been conducted in Turkey on sex workers, little evidence exists on their clients, the demand side of the commercial sex mar...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/845101468120267982/Risky-business-HIV-knowledge-attitudes-and-behavior-among-at-risk-mobile-workers-in-Turkey http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27490 |
| Summary: | This study focuses on, what is believed
to be, a key client group of sex workers: mobile workers.
While several studies have been conducted in Turkey on sex
workers, little evidence exists on their clients, the demand
side of the commercial sex market. Research from other
countries has shown that mobile workers, who are often
working-age males spending significant time away from home,
are more likely to have multiple sexual partners and visit
sex workers (World Bank, 2009; Kulis et al., 2009; Marck,
1999). The objective of this study is to determine the HIV
knowledge, awareness, and behaviors among four mobile worker
groups in Turkey that may have elevated risks for HIV
infection and transmission: sailors, truck drivers,
construction, and tourism workers. International
transportation, construction, and tourism are some of the
fastest growing sectors of Turkey's economy, and mobile
workers in these sectors are believed to be one of the main
HIV transmission routes for future infections (Tumer and
Unal, 2006). It is important to note two caveats of this
study. First, no biomarker data (e.g., HIV testing) was
collected from these workers, so conclusions regarding HIV
prevalence or concentration of the epidemic cannot be made.
Second, the sample did not include other at-risk groups or
the general population, so it is difficult to know whether
the behaviors are more or less risky in other population
groups. Where possible, comparisons with other studies or
countries are presented, but there are likely important
differences in sampling and methodology. The major
contribution of this study, however, is that it
characterizes the risk factors within the mobile worker
population in Turkey. |
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