SOURCES OF HIV AIDS INFORMATION AMONG FEMALE SEX TRADERS/

Women who trade sex for money or drugs (sex traders) are an important group to receive HIV risk reduction messages, To deliver messages effe ctively, it is useful to know where sex traders get information about HIV. Data from street-based interviews in three cities were analyzed t o determine sources of HIV information (mass media, small media, inter personal contacts) for sex traders, and the relationships between rece iving HIV information and HIV prevention knowledge and behaviors. Tele vision was cited most as a source of information about HIV; sources va ried by city and injecting drug use. Exposure to HIV information throu gh small media and interpersonal channels was associated with the abil ity to identify primary routes of HIV transmission and being tested fo r HIV; no associations were found for mass media. The findings suggest small media and interpersonal channels can reach female sex traders w ho may be at highest risk (e.g. injection drug users), and receiving m essages through these channels may be related to HIV risk reduction kn owledge and behavior.