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Partnership preferences, economic drivers, and health consequences of Gambian men’s interactions with foreign tourists: A mixed methods study

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  • Matthew Quaife
  • Mareme Diallo
  • Assan Jaye
  • Melisa Martinez-Alvarez

Abstract

The Gambia has a thriving tourist industry, but in recent decades has developed a reputation as a destination for older, female tourists to seek sexual relationships with young Gambian men. During partnerships or in return for sex, Gambian men may receive financial support or in some cases the opportunity to travel to Europe with a partner. There has been little previous research among these men on sexual risk behaviours, physical and mental health, and health service utilisation. This study describes the economic drivers and health implications of interactions between Gambian men and foreign tourists near tourist resorts in The Gambia. We conducted simultaneous mixed method data collection among Gambian men who regularly interact with tourists: a cross-sectional quantitative survey and discrete choice experiment (DCE) with 242 respondents, three focus group discussions, and 17 in-depth interviews. The survey asked questions on demographic characteristics, sexual history and health-seeking, the DCE elicited trade-offs between partnership characteristics, and qualitative data explored individual and group experiences in depth. We found that sexual activity between Gambian men and tourists was prevalent with 50% of the sample reporting ever having sex with a tourist. Condom use at last sex was significantly higher with tourist (63%) than with Gambian partners (40%, p

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Quaife & Mareme Diallo & Assan Jaye & Melisa Martinez-Alvarez, 2023. "Partnership preferences, economic drivers, and health consequences of Gambian men’s interactions with foreign tourists: A mixed methods study," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(2), pages 1-24, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pgph00:0001115
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001115
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matthew Quaife & Peter Vickerman & Shanthi Manian & Robyn Eakle & Maria A. Cabrera‐Escobar & Sinead Delany‐Moretlwe & Fern Terris‐Prestholt, 2018. "The effect of HIV prevention products on incentives to supply condomless commercial sex among female sex workers in South Africa," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(10), pages 1550-1566, October.
    2. Paul Gertler & Manisha Shah & Stefano M. Bertozzi, 2005. "Risky Business: The Market for Unprotected Commercial Sex," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 113(3), pages 518-550, June.
    3. Matthew Quaife & Fern Terris-Prestholt & Gian Luca Di Tanna & Peter Vickerman, 2018. "How well do discrete choice experiments predict health choices? A systematic review and meta-analysis of external validity," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 19(8), pages 1053-1066, November.
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