'Are you on the market?': A capture-recapture enumeration of men who sell sex to men in and around Mombasa, Kenya

  • Scott Geibel
  • , Elisabeth M. Van Der Elst
  • , Nzioki King'ola
  • , Stanley Luchters
  • , Alun Davies
  • , Esther M. Getambu
  • , Norbert Peshu
  • , Susan M. Graham
  • , R. Scott McClelland
  • , Eduard J. Sanders

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

57 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are highly vulnerable to HIV infection, but this population can be particularly difficult to reach in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to estimate the number of MSM who sell sex in and around Mombasa, Kenya, in order to plan HIV prevention research. METHODS: We identified 77 potential MSM contact locations, including public streets and parks, brothels, bars and nightclubs, in and around Mombasa and trained 37 MSM peer leader enumerators to extend a recruitment leaflet to MSM who were identified as 'on the market', that is, a man who admitted to selling sex to men. We captured men on two consecutive Saturdays, 1 week apart. A record was kept of when, where and by whom the invitation was extended and received, and of refusals. The total estimate of MSM who sell sex was derived from capture-recapture calculation. RESULTS: Capture 1 included 284 men (following removal of 15 duplicates); 89 men refused to participate. Capture 2 included 484 men (following removal of 35 duplicates); 75 men refused to participate. Of the 484 men in capture 2, 186 were recaptures from capture 1, resulting in a total estimate of 739 (95% confidence interval, 690-798) MSM who sell sex in the study area. CONCLUSIONS: We estimated that 739 MSM sell sex in and around Mombasa. Of these, 484 were contacted through trained peer enumerators in a single day. MSM who sell sex in and around Mombasa represent a sizeable population who urgently need to be targeted by HIV prevention strategies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1349-1354
Number of pages6
JournalAIDS
Volume21
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • AIDS
  • Africa
  • Capture-recapture
  • Enumeration
  • HIV prevention
  • Men who have sex with men

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