Paulino-Ramírez Robert, Kantor Erika Felker, Faccini Mónica, Rodríguez-Lauzurique Rosa Mayra, Canario De La Torre Maureen, Henríquez-Cross Analía, Castro Arachu
Instituto de Medicina Tropical & Salud Global Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) UNIBE Research Hub Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Instituto de Medicina Tropical & Salud Global, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), UNIBE Research Hub, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Tulane University New OrleansLouisiana United States of America School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2023 Mar 3;47:e55. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2023.55. eCollection 2023.
To identify sexual risk behaviors and barriers to sexual and reproductive health care (SRH) among Venezuelan female sex workers living in the Dominican Republic.
This was a mixed-methods study using four focus group discussions (FGDs) and a cross-sectional quantitative survey with Venezuelan migrant female sex workers. The study was conducted from September through October 2021 in two urban areas (Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata) in the Dominican Republic. Information collected from the FGDs was analyzed using thematic content analysis, and quantitative data were analyzed using univariate descriptive statistics. Data analysis was conducted from 30 November 2021 to 20 February 2022.
In all, 40 Venezuelan migrant female sex workers with a median (range) age of 33 (19-49) years participated in the FGDs and survey. The FDGs identified barriers to SRH services, including immigration status and its implications for formal employment and health access, mental wellbeing, quality-of-life in the Dominican Republic, navigating sex work, perceptions of sex work, SRH knowledge, and limited social support. Findings of the quantitative analysis indicated that most participants reported feeling depressed (78%), lonely/isolated (75%), and having difficulty sleeping (88%). Participants reported an average of 10 sexual partners in the past 30 days; 55% had engaged in sexual practices while under the influence of alcohol; and only 39% had used a condom when performing oral sex in the past 30 days. Regarding AIDS/HIV, 79% had taken an HIV test in the past 6 months, and 74% knew where to seek HIV services.
This mixed-methods study found that nationality and social exclusion have a multilayered influence on migrant female sex workers, sexual risk behaviors, and access to health care. Recommendations for effective evidence-based interventions to address sexual health knowledge need to be implemented to address risky sexual behaviors, improve access to SRH, and reduce affordability barriers.
确定居住在多米尼加共和国的委内瑞拉女性性工作者的性风险行为以及性与生殖健康保健（SRH）的障碍。
这是一项混合方法研究，采用了四次焦点小组讨论（FGD）以及对委内瑞拉移民女性性工作者进行的横断面定量调查。该研究于2021年9月至10月在多米尼加共和国的两个城市地区（圣多明各和普拉塔港）开展。从焦点小组讨论中收集的信息采用主题内容分析法进行分析，定量数据采用单变量描述性统计进行分析。数据分析于2021年11月30日至2022年2月20日进行。
共有40名年龄中位数（范围）为33（19 - 49）岁的委内瑞拉移民女性性工作者参与了焦点小组讨论和调查。焦点小组讨论确定了性与生殖健康服务的障碍，包括移民身份及其对正规就业和医疗服务获取的影响、心理健康、在多米尼加共和国的生活质量、从事性工作的情况、对性工作的看法、性与生殖健康知识以及有限的社会支持。定量分析结果表明，大多数参与者表示感到抑郁（78%）、孤独/孤立（75%）以及睡眠困难（88%）。参与者报告在过去30天内平均有10个性伴侣；55%的人在饮酒影响下进行过性行为；在过去30天内进行口交时只有39%的人使用了避孕套。关于艾滋病/艾滋病毒，79%的人在过去6个月内进行过艾滋病毒检测，74%的人知道在哪里可以获得艾滋病毒服务。
这项混合方法研究发现，国籍和社会排斥对移民女性性工作者以及性风险行为和医疗服务获取具有多层次影响。需要实施有效的循证干预措施建议，以解决性健康知识问题，应对危险性行为，改善性与生殖健康服务的获取，并减少可负担性障碍。
