Urban-Rural Differences in Sexual Networking in Burkina Faso

Maria Khan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lisanne Brown, Tulane University
Nicolas Nagot, Centre Muraz
S Salouka
S Ganou
Joseph Bidiga, Conseil National de Lutte Contre le SIDA
Sharon Weir, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) field method was used in two Burkina Faso health districts to identify sites where people meet sexual partners and assess potential for HIV/AIDS intervention. Formal bars and brothels comprised a large proportion of sites in urban areas (45%), while small sites such as roadside bars were popular in rural areas (38%). Large public sites were common in urban and rural areas (30 and 47% of sites, respectively). Among 1036 individuals interviewed at sites, men and women reported at least one new sexual partner in the past month in both urban areas (42 and 61%, respectively) and rural areas (29 and 25%, respectively). The percentage of women who received goods for sex is greater in urban areas (56%) than rural areas (15%). A minority of urban and rural sites had condoms, but 85% are willing to participate in prevention activity.