PSI Rwanda (2013): TRaC: HIV Behavioral Tracking Survey among Female sex workers in Kigali

GOAL OF THE STUDY Results of the 2010 Behavioural and Biological Surveillance Survey (BSS) among female sex workers conducted by RBC/HDPC/HIV Division covering a sample of 1,338 FSWs, show disparities in condom use. With this in mind, RBC HIV Division and PSI Rwanda will use a location quantitative study to evaluate exposure of FSW to peer education, moonlight programs and improve HIV prevention in Rwanda. This study will gather information useful for understanding the current situation in relation to the level of correct and consistent condom use, exposure to behaviour change communication programs, availability of condoms, and access to HVCT services among FSWs in Rwanda. The same information will be handy in improving RBC HIV Division and PSI Rwanda's social marketing strategies for HIV prevention program. STUDY OBJECTIVES The study seeks primarily to evaluate the impact of behaviour change interventions: training of peer educators, Mobile Video Unit (MVU), and Moonlight VCT on the decisions of FSWs on use of condoms and voluntary testing and secondarily, to conduct a needs assessment for upcoming HIV prevention support among FSWs in Rwanda by identifying determinants of the promoted behavior. The study will strive to assess FSW'™s level of access to HIV prevention interventions through the use of condoms and VCT services, and the factor s associated with key indicators. The key behavioral indicators (i.e. main outcome variables) relevant to sample size calculations are: 1. Proportion of FSW who used condom during their last at-risk sexual relation 2. Proportion of FSW reporting HIV counseling and testing in the past 12 months. Specifically, the study objectives are: - Identify key behavioural factors/determinants of behaviors associated with consistent and correct condom use and HVCT service uptake among FSWs; - Evaluate the extent to which exposure to behaviour change communication activities are associated with consistent condom use, use of HVCT services, and reported availability of condoms among FSWs; - Monitor availability of condoms in the hotspots in Kigali; and - Measure the comprehensive knowledge about correct condom use among FSW in Kigali. This survey will help to answer three fundamental questions related to segmentation of the population between users and non-users of the promoted behavior, monitoring and evaluation of the current BCSM interventions, and to inform future interventions among FSWs aged 15 years and above in Kigali City, Rwanda, regarding determinants of behavior as empirically and theoretically identified through sound research in terms of opportunity, ability and motivation factors to inform program planning and provide social marketing evidence for decision making.