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Sex Transm Infect 2005;81:428-433 doi:10.1136/sti.2004.013482
  • Sex workers

Health indicators among low income women who report a history of sex work: the population based Northern California Young Women’s Survey

  1. D L Cohan1,
  2. A Kim2,
  3. J Ruiz3,
  4. S Morrow4,
  5. J Reardon5,
  6. M Lynch5,
  7. J D Klausner2,
  8. F Molitor6,
  9. B Allen7,
  10. B Green Ajufo,
  11. D Ferrero8,
  12. G Bell Sanford8,
  13. K Page-Shafer9,
  14. V Delgado2,
  15. W McFarland2,9,
  16. for the Young Women’s Survey Team*
  1. 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
  2. 2San Francisco Department of Public Health, CA, USA
  3. 3California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, CA, USA
  4. 4County of San Mateo Department of Public Health, CA, USA
  5. 5Contra Costa County Department of Public Health, CA, USA
  6. 6ETR Associates, CA, USA
  7. 7Alameda County Department of Public Health, CA, USA
  8. 8San Joaquin County Public Health Services, CA, USA
  9. 9Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
  1. Correspondence to:
 Willi McFarland
 MD, PhD, AIDS Office, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102-6033, USA; willi.mcfarlandsfdph.org
  • Accepted 20 December 2004

Abstract

Objectives: We examined differences in demographic characteristics, HIV related risk behaviour, prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI), and HIV and other health concerns among women with and without a history of sex work.

Methods: A secondary analysis of a population based, cross sectional survey of young, low income women in northern California.

Results: Of the 2543 women interviewed, 8.9% reported a history of sex work. These women reported more lifetime male sexual partners, were more likely to use drugs before sex, and were more likely to have a history of having sex with partners at high risk for HIV (that is, men who have sex with men, inject drugs, or were known to be HIV positive). They were significantly more likely to have positive serology for syphilis, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and hepatitis C regardless of their personal injecting drug use history; however, they were no more likely to have HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection compared to women without a history of sex work. Women with a history of sex work were significantly more likely to have a history of sexual coercion and tobacco use.

Conclusions: These data measure the population prevalence of sex work among low income women and associated STI. Women with a history of sex work have health concerns beyond STI and HIV treatment and prevention.

Footnotes

  • ↵* Listed at end of paper.The Young Women’s Survey Team includes (in alphabetical order): Barbara Allen, Geneva Bell Sanford, Barbara Cahoon-Young, Cynthia Cossen, Viva Delgado, Carla Dillard Smith, Dennis Ferrero, Barbara Green Ajufo, Maria Hernandez, Tanya Holmes, Jeffrey D. Klausner, George Lemp, Martin Lynch, Willi McFarland, Fred Molitor, Scott Morrow, Kimberly Page-Shafer, Juan Reardon, Juan Ruiz, Charlotte Smith, Richard Sun, Hipolita Villa, and Francis Wiser.

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