This paper compares and contrasts number of partners and condom use behaviour for female sex workers and a sample of women working in other economic activities, with both samples drawn from the large informal settlement of Kibera, Nairobi. As expected, univariate analysis revealed much higher numbers of overall sexual partners and higher levels of condom use among female sex workers compared to...

BACKGROUND Migrant women are over-represented in the sex industry, and migrant sex workers experience disproportionate health inequities, including those related to health access, HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and violence. Despite calls for occupational sex work interventions situated in labour rights frameworks, there remains a paucity of evidence pertaining to migrant sex w...

OBJECTIVES To determine the social and behavioural factors associated with condom use among direct sex workers in Siem Reap, Cambodia. METHODS Using a structured behavioural questionnaire, interviews were conducted with 140 direct sex workers attending a health centre in Siem Reap for HIV screening. RESULTS Consistent condom use with their clients was reported by 78% of sex workers compared...

BACKGROUND Migrant women engaged in precarious employment, such as sex work, frequently face pronounced social isolation alongside other barriers to health and human rights. Although peer support has been identified as a critical HIV and violence prevention intervention for sex workers, little is known about access to peer support or its role in shaping health and social outcomes for migrant se...

OBJECTIVES Sex workers are at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI), human papillomavirus (HPV) and hence cervical cancer. In Belgium screening for cervical cancer starts at the age of 25, and is at 3 yearly intervals. The aim of this study is to assess risks for abnormal cervical smears and HPV in sex workers and decide whether the current screening policy is sufficient for ...

OBJECTIVES To assess to what extent hepatitis B vaccination of sex workers in Ghent, Belgium, is successful within the context of the existing health services and to compare this with alternative approaches such as outreach programmes; to compare two hepatitis B vaccination schemes in the outreach programme for sex workers. METHODS Testing all first contacts (n = 1096) in the outreach program...

The existing legal framework in Russia makes sex work and related activities punishable offenses, leaving sex workers stigmatized, vulnerable to violence, and disproportionally affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In 2013, the Ministry of Justice, supported by the courts, refused registration and official recognition to the first all-Russia association of sex workers, refe...

BACKGROUND Sex work is receiving increased attention in southern Africa. In the context of South Africa's intense preparation for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, anxiety over HIV transmission in the context of sex work has sparked debate on the most appropriate legal response to this industry. DISCUSSION Drawing on existing literature, the authors highlight the increased vulnerability of sex...

into the countries of the former Soviet Union, eastern Europe, and China has been associated with a social revolution. This is reflected in changes to employment, the family, mobility, state institutions, and culture. Many people face a precarious economic situation following the closure of state industries, the ending of food subsidies and declining welfare provision. Women have been harshly a...

BACKGROUND Night shift work has been associated with an increased risk for breast and prostate cancer. The effect of circadian disruption on sex steroid production is a possible underlying mechanism, underinvestigated in humans. We have assessed daily rhythms of sex hormones and melatonin in night and day shift workers of both sexes. METHODS We recruited 75 night and 42 day workers, ages 22 t...