Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 21, Issue 5, 2019, Pages 1070-1076

Syndemic Factors and Resiliency Among Latina Immigrant Indirect Sex Workers in an Emergent Immigrant City (Article)

Grieb S.D.* , Flores-Miller A. , Sherman S.G. , Page K.R.
  • a Center for Child and Community Health Research, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Mason F. Lord Bldg, Center Tower, Suite 4200, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
  • b Center for Salud/Health and Opportunity for Latinos, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • c Department of Health, Behavior & Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • d Center for Clinical Global Health Education, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Female sex workers (FSW) constitute a highly vulnerable population challenged by numerous co-existing, or syndemic, risk factors. FSW also display resilience to these, and some evidence suggests that resilience may be associated with protective factors that improve health outcomes. We conducted in-depth interviews with indirect sex workers (n = 11) and their clients (n = 18). Interviews were coded utilizing an iterative, modified constant comparison method to identify emergent themes. We identified five syndemic risk factors (difficulty finding work due to undocumented status, shame and mental health hardship, lack of social support, alcohol use, and violence) and five resilient factors (rationalizing sex work, identifying as a “decent” woman, fulfilling immigrant goals, reducing alcohol consumption, and creating rules to reduce risk of violence and HIV/STIs). Understanding the syndemic risk factors and resiliency developed by FSW is important to develop tailored, strength-based interventions for HIV/STIs and other risks. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Resiliency Female sex work Syndemic factors Latino immigrants HIV/AIDS

Index Keywords

immigrant alcohol consumption mental health human violence social support nonhuman intermethod comparison Human immunodeficiency virus sex worker syndemic interview Hispanic female risk factor clinical article Article Shame adult
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85052648927&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-018-0819-1&partnerID=40&md5=970a8cd174a59f7e1724e41c925b537f
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0819-1
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English