CAHSS Faculty Articles
The Connections of Mental Health Problems, Violent Life Experiences and the Social Milieu of the 'Stroll' with the HIV Risk Behaviors of Female Street Sex Workers
ORCID ID
0000-0003-4027-7840
ResearcherID
K-3072-2014, H-3010-2014
Publication Title
Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality
ISSN
0890-7064
Publication Date
2005
Abstract
This paper examines the connections of mental health, victimization, and sexual risk behaviors among a sample of 278 street-based female sex workers in Miami. Using targeted sampling strategies, drug-using sex workers were recruited into an HIV prevention research program. Data were collected by trained interviewers, and focused on drug use and sexual risk for HIV, childhood abuse, recent victimization, and mental health. More than half of the participants reported histories of physical (51.1%) or sexual (53.1%) abuse as children, 37.4% were classified with moderate or severe anxiety symptoms, and 52.9% had symptoms of moderate or severe depression. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated significant associations between mental health issues and engagement in recent unprotected vaginal and oral sex. The program development and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
DOI
10.1300/J056v17n01_03
Volume
17
Issue
1-2
First Page
23
Last Page
44
NSUWorks Citation
Surratt, H. L., Kurtz, S. P., Weaver, J. C., & Inciardi, J. A. (2005). The Connections of Mental Health Problems, Violent Life Experiences and the Social Milieu of the 'Stroll' with the HIV Risk Behaviors of Female Street Sex Workers. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 17 (1-2), 23-44. https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v17n01_03
