HIV Seroprevalence, Incidence, and Viral Suppression Among Ugandan Female Bar Workers: A Population-Based Study

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 2026 Open access

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Authors: Xinyi Feng, Gertrude F. Nakigozi, Eshan U. Patel, Caitlin Elizabeth Kennedy, Slisha Shrestha, Fred Nalugoda, Godfrey Kigozi, Robert Ssekubugu, Larry W. Chang, Andrea L. Wirtz, Arthur G. Fitzmaurice, Hadijja Nakawooya
+6 more Grace Kigozi, Ronald Moses Galiwango, Steven James Reynolds, Joseph Kagaayi, Aaron A.R. Tobian, M. Kate Grabowski
DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003908
Cited by: 0
References: 27

Abstract

Background: Prior studies have linked female bar and sex work in Africa. However, population-level data on HIV burden among female bar workers (FBWs) in African settings are rare. Methods: We used five survey rounds of data collected between 2011 and 2020 from the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a population-based HIV surveillance cohort in 36 inland agrarian and trading communities (HIV prevalence ~12%) and four Lake Victoria fishing communities (~36%) in southern Uganda. Women reporting bar work as a primary or secondary occupation were identified and compared to non-FBWs. Primary outcomes included laboratory-confirmed HIV seropositivity, incident infection, viral suppression (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Sex work and related issues HIV Drug Use Sexual Risk HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions

Publication details

Journal / source
JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Volume
101
Issue
10
Pages
1082–1093
Publication date
26 June 2026
Language
EN