Structural risk and limits on agency among exotic dancers: HIV risk practices in the exotic dance club.

This paper provides longitudinal examination of women's health and sexual risk trajectories in US exotic dance clubs, which represent an important commercial setting for the economic mainstreaming of sexual services and an important target for public health programmes. Between July 2014 and May 2015, two semi-structured interviews (at baseline and at three months) were conducted with 24 female exotic dancers who had recently started working in in Baltimore City, USA. Results from a constant comparative analysis point to the interrelationship between the structures of the club setting, including the social context, and women's agentic practices concerning their sexual health. Study findings highlight the centrality of the interrelationship between individual- and structural-level experiences in influencing dancers' risk behavior. Findings point to the need for interventions to empower women both individually and collectively so as to provide the foundation for longer-term structural change.

The Development of an HIV Risk Environment Scale of Exotic Dance Clubs.

Exotic dancers have received little research attention despite evidence of high-risk behaviours within exotic dance clubs (EDCs). We developed and assessed the reliability and validity of a risk environment score, examining differences between dancers (n = 107) and other staff (n = 172). In the summer of 2013, anonymous surveys were administered via A-CASI in EDCs (N = 26) in Baltimore among exotic dancers and staff. Surveys consisted of a brief demographic section followed by 65 statements. The overall domain had an alpha = 0.77 and subdomains had the following: social (alpha = 0.87), economic (alpha = 0.92), drug (alpha = 0.89), and policy (alpha = 0.66). In a factor analysis, each domain contributed significantly to the overall latent construct. The results indicate a high level of HIV/STI risk for dancers in EDCs and underscore the need for targeted interventions in these environments. As we continue to unpack the function of the broader environment in STI/HIV risk transmission, the scale could be instructive for other settings.