Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41899694›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2026

Deaths of Female Sex Workers from HIV/AIDS in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2019-2023 and Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence.

Alexa Stefanko, Byron A Foster, Brian Willis, Patrick Ezie, Emily Perttu, Wendy L Macias-Konstantopoulos

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Alexa StefankoGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Byron A FosterGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Brian WillisGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Patrick EzieGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Emily PerttuGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Wendy L Macias-KonstantopoulosGlobal Health Promise, Portland, OR 97201, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5752-2104

Funding

Gates Foundation INV-049925New Venture Fund 015413-2021-08-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFemale sex workers (FSWs) face heightened health risks, particularly from HIV, which accounts for 8% of FSW deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains suboptimal and few studies have explored drivers of ART non-adherence among FSWs who died from HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

methodsUsing a community knowledge approach methodology, data on HIV-related deaths among FSWs were collected from a convenience sample across Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1 February 2022, and 28 February 2023. Participants were recruited through local sex worker organizations and non-governmental organizations. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, HIV treatment history, and reasons for ART non-adherence from participants about the deaths of FSWs they knew of personally. A qualitative descriptive analysis was used to code the interviews for reasons for ART non-adherence.

resultsA total of 853 FSWs reported the deaths of 445 peers who had died from HIV/AIDS. The mean age at death was 27 years; 70.6% were mothers. Among the deceased, 95.1% were not taking antiretrovirals at the time of their death, and 90% had stopped using ART, rather than never initiating treatment. The most cited reasons for ART non-adherence were food insecurity (97; 22.9%), alcohol and drug use (44; 10.4%), depression (57; 13.5%), and stigma (24; 5.7%).

conclusionHIV-related deaths among FSWs in these three sub-Saharan African countries are associated with food insecurity, mental health issues, substance use, and stigma. Improving access to ART alone is insufficient to reduce mortality.

Indexed as

Anti-Retroviral AgentsHIV InfectionsMedication AdherenceSex WorkersAdultAnti-HIV AgentsDemocratic Republic of the CongoFemaleHumansKenyaNigeriaYoung AdultAnti-HIV AgentsAnti-Retroviral Agentsantiretroviral therapyfood insecurityHIV infectionmedication adherencesex workerssub-Saharan Africa

Identifiers

PMID41899694
PMCPMC13026686

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.