Giovenco, DKahn, KHughes, J.PMacPhail, CWagner, RPettifor, A2024-07-282024-07-282020-03Giovenco D, Kahn K, Hughes JP, MacPhail C, Wagner R, Pettifor A. Self-Esteem as an Indicator of Transactional Sex Among Young Women in Rural South Africa (HPTN 068). AIDS Behav. 2020 Mar;24(3):823-826. doi: 10.1007/s10461-019-02698-z.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02698-zhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-019-02698-zhttps://hdl.handle.net/11288/596974Transactional sex (TS) has been shown to contribute to the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous research has yet to identify psychosocial factors that make young women vulnerable to engaging in TS. This analysis examined the association between self-esteem and TS among young women in rural South Africa. A post hoc analysis of post-intervention survey data from HPTN 068 was conducted. Log-binomial regression was used to compute a prevalence ratio measure of association. Among 1942 young women, the prevalence of TS among those with lower self-esteem was 4.7 times the prevalence of TS among those with higher self-esteem (p < 0.001). Findings provide support for the association between lower self-esteem and TS in this context and may inform intervention development.enAttribution 3.0 United Stateshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/Young womenHIVSelf-esteemTransactional sexSouth AfricaArticleAIDS Behavior