Health Problems Faced by Prostitutes

Sexual workers suffer high rates of mental health issues and face obstacles to seeking healthcare services, while their work exposes them to many risks, including HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

More research by LIS professionals into the health issues faced by female commercial sex workers is necessary, including an investigation of barriers to healthcare access as well as stigma's effect.

Physical

One study of sex workers (SWs), revealed that thirty percent had reported physical health problems, such as frequent stomach-aches caused by poor diet or showering between clients, or pain or numbness in certain parts of their bodies likely affected by occupational stress. Women also experienced high rates of psychological issues like depression and anxiety; more sex workers than expected experienced mental health difficulties given working conditions and barriers to healthcare services - suggesting more research needs to be conducted into ways of protecting SWs while simultaneously improving psychological well-being on a broader social level.

Sex workers also face serious health concerns due to the nature of their profession; unprotected sexual contact can expose them to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV, with daily risk exposure from engaging in unprotected sexual acts with numerous men in unregulated sexual encounters. They could be subject to violence if they attempt to avoid unsafe practices or disobey demands from pimps.

Sex workers' health concerns often stem from lacking adequate health insurance and being denied medical benefits, forcing them to rely on private clinics and charities with limited resources and insufficiently-trained professionals for care - often making obtaining treatment more challenging for these women.

Mental

Sex workers face numerous mental health challenges. According to one study, authors found that they experienced anxiety, psychotic symptoms, depression and more suicide attempts than other workers - and less access to appropriate mental healthcare than their counterparts. Furthermore, researchers noted sex workers often perceived their work as immoral or disgraceful.

Studies have demonstrated that female sex workers often suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Its symptoms include anxiety and depression, flashbacks, hyper alertness, emotional numbing, insomnia and emotional numbing. Individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse or experienced violence at work during prostitution were at increased risk of PTSD development.

Researchers of one study revealed that some sex workers also suffered from chronic physical health conditions, including urinary tract infections, gynaecological issues, pelvic pain and more likely to be diabetic or overweight.

Although sex workers experience numerous health concerns, most do not view getting healthcare as being high on their priority list. According to this research study's researchers, health care providers need to better comprehend the range of issues confronting sex workers and find effective solutions for them; community walk-in clinics could serve this purpose.

Emotional

Many prostitutes also struggle emotionally/psychologically. Many prostitutes experience sexual/physical violence from customers such as beatings, threats of knives being put against their heads, and rape - something which unfortunately cannot be stopped entirely. Unfortunately there are no real solutions that could stop this from happening again and again.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is the most widespread psychological ailment that prostitutes face. This can manifest itself through symptoms like anxiety, depression, flashbacks, hyper-alertness and numbing of senses resulting from sexual/physical trauma (including childhood sexual abuse) experienced over their lifetimes. One study found that fifty-five percent of prostitutes interviewed met criteria for PTSD.

Somatization, or when an individual develops repeated medical symptoms without apparent cause, is another a common problem among sex workers and is particularly prevalent among women who have been victimized in childhood, and may lead to psychosis or schizophrenia.

NTIES survey questions sex workers about various health conditions, such as their general self-rated health score and when they last saw a doctor or gynecologists'. Furthermore, it assesses any mental health issues like depression and anxious. Results revealed that those experiencing mental health problems were more likely to come from sexual/gender minority backgrounds, use non-injection drugs without injection methods and work in informal indoor venues or street level environments.

Social

A recent sex worker survey discovered depression to be the most frequently experienced mental health issue, followed by anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Furthermore, some sex workers reported sexual assault or physical abuse from clients, perhaps exacerbating existing mental health conditions further.

Studies have also demonstrated that women employed in prostitution are at greater risk for sexually transmitted infections/STDs such as HIV, herpes and chlamydia. Furthermore, they also suffer from depression, substance use disorders and psychiatric disorders; symptoms that may contribute to them entering prostitution as a source of income.

In this study, the authors conducted an interview survey among inner city sex workers via an outreach service provider agency. Interviewees were asked abouttheir general health problems, information needs and barriers to healthcare access as well as to complete a short questionnaire that covered past trauma as well as current work conditions.

Researchers found that overall self-rated health was associated with factors like age of first employment and past trauma; as well as lifetime history of CSA exposure. They also determined that working hours or days per week are associated withpoorer self-rated health ratings.