Biomedical subjects

Elisante J Masenga

Publications and source records attributed to Elisante J Masenga.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Sexual behavior, psychosocial and knowledge differences between consistent, inconsistent and non-users of condoms: a study of female bar and hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania.

Understanding psychosocial, sexual behavior and knowledge differences between never, inconsistent and consistent condom users can improve interventions to increase condom use in resource-poor countries, but they have not been adequately studied. We examined these differences in a cohort of 961 female hotel and bar workers in Moshi, Tanzania. Forty-nine percent of women reported no condom use; 39% reported inconsistent use, and 12% reported consistent use. Women with multiple sexual partners in the past five years were less likely to be consistent rather than inconsistent users as were women who had ever exchanged sex for gifts or money. Inconsistent users had higher condom knowledge and higher perceived acceptability of condom use than did never users, but they did not differ from consistent users by these factors. There are important differences between women by level of condom use. These findings can help inform interventions to increase condom use.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 among bar and hotel workers in northern Tanzania: the role of alcohol, sexual behavior, and herpes simplex virus type 2.

GOALS: We assessed baseline prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other STDs, as well as behavioral and biologic risk factors for HIV-1 in a population of female bar/hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania. STUDY DESIGN: Between 2002 and 2003, we enrolled 1042 female bar/hotel workers in an ongoing prospective cohort study. We analyzed data collected at baseline to assess the associations between alcohol, sexual behavior, STDs, and HIV-1 infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV-1 infection was 19.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.6%-21.4%). Consistent condom use was low (11.1%). HIV-1 was associated with genital ulcers on examination (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.16-3.74), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (AOR = 3.80, 95% CI = 2.42-5.97), and problem drinking (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.06-3.47). Other independent predictors of HIV-1 were increasing age, number of sex partners, cohabitating, formerly married, location of employment, and having a husband with another wife. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that programs designed to control HSV-2, reduce the number of sexual partners and alcohol use, and promote condom use could be effective in reducing transmission of HIV-1 in this population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among bar and hotel workers in northern Tanzania: prevalence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Type-specific serological tests have allowed for a better understanding of the epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection in Africa. GOAL: The goal was to determine risk factors for HSV-2 among bar and hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 515 workers in randomly selected bars and hotels in Moshi. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HSV-2 was 43.5%. Women were more likely to be HSV-2-seropositive than men (age-adjusted OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 2.5-5.8). In multivariate analyses, age was positively associated with HSV-2 in both women and men. HIV-1-seropositive women had a significantly increased risk of HSV-2 infection (adjusted OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.5-5.1). Other predictors of HSV-2 were religion and sexual behavior for women and level of education, frequency of alcohol use, and concurrent partners for men. CONCLUSION: The most common genital infection was that with HSV-2. Control of HSV-2 might be an important strategy for HIV-1 infection prevention in this population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

HIV-1 epidemic among female bar and hotel workers in northern Tanzania: risk factors and opportunities for prevention.

We conducted this study to determine the prevalence and risk factors for HIV-1 infection among women (N = 312) who were working in the bars and hotels in Moshi, a town in northern Tanzania. Study subjects were interviewed to obtain information about HIV-1 risk factors and examined to collect samples for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The prevalence of HIV-1 was 26.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.4%-31.2%). In multivariate analyses, the risk of HIV-1 increased with increasing age (p value, test for linear trend <.001) and the number of sexual partners during the last 5 years (p value, test for linear trend <.03). Other significant predictors were having a male partner with other sexual partners (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.92; 95% CI, 1.03-3.60), and consuming alcohol >2 days per week (AOR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.12-5.88). The risk of HIV-1 was also significantly increased in women with bacterial vaginosis (AOR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.09-5.13) and in study subjects with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 antibodies (AOR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.24-4.98). These results indicate that women working in these settings were at increased risk of HIV-1. Programs aiming at promoting safer sexual practices and control of other STDs are urgently needed in this population. Such programs should address the underlying conditions that facilitate risk behaviors and create obstacles for these women who wish to protect themselves against HIV-1.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Chlamydial infection in males and conseqences for their female sexual partners, an example from rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

The aim of this paper is to examine the reproductive health status for the wives of chlamydia-infected, but largely asymptomatic men. In a cross-sectional study in rural Tanzania 447 men and 393 women, aged 15-44 years, were screened for chlamydial infection. The prevalence was 9.6% and 6.9%, respectively. Among 43 chlamydia-positive men, 17 were married. Data from both spouses, independently examined, could be matched for 12 couples. None of the 12 husbands had discharge, one had dysuria and 3 had pyuria. Three wives tested positive for chlamydial infection, two others had pelvic inflammatory disease, four others had pyuria. Men reported more sexual partners than women and were considered being the index case for the chlamydial infection. While three of 11 wives (27%) tested chlamydia-positive from a cervical sample, transmission might have occurred in 5-8 cases (transmission rate (42-67%), indicating that these 12 largely asymptomatic chlamydia-positive men were highly infectious to their sexual partners.

Adolescent↗