Alcohol and Other Drug Use, Partner Violence, and Mental Health Problems Among Female Sex Workers in Southwest China

Globally, approximately 10% - 20% of children and adolescents experience mental health problems and the majority of them are living in low- and middle-income countries. Children of female sex workers are often exposed to unsafe environments, traumatic experiences and a mentally ill parent, putting them at risk for developing mental health problems themselves. Research on the mental health and functioning of children of female sex workers during their school age is limited. This paper will explore the mental health and functioning of female sex workers’ children. Method: The study included 160 female entertainment workers (FEWs) and 60 of their children from four provinces of Cambodia. FEW’s mental health, and children’s mental health and functioning were measured. Result: FEWs demonstrated high rates of depression (67%) and anxiety (61%), and 54.38% reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Of the 60 children, the majority got their education at primary school (68%) and secondary school (25%). 46.7% of them reported symptoms of functional impairment, 18.33% suffered from psychological distress, and 36.67% have PTSD symptoms above the clinical threshold. Children’s psychological distress was significantly predicted by mothers’ early childhood traumatic experiences, mothers’ current mental health problems, mothers’ anxiety and PTSD. Mother’s PTSD predicted children’s psychological distress [β = 0.282, R2 = 0.079] and functioning [β = 0.285, R2 = 0.081]. Conclusion: School age children of FEWs have high rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Children’s psychological problems impair their functioning at school and home. FEW’s PTSD predicts their children’s psychological distress and functioning. Further research on the mental health and functioning of FEW’s children should be continued with a larger sample size. Mental health professionals and educators should provide mental health care for FEWs and their children, and develop evidence-based approaches to improving children’s mental health and functioning

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HIV risk among female sex workers with different patterns of drug use behaviors in Southwest China: a cross-sectional study

AIDS Care ◽

10.1080/09540121.2014.980214 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 293-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Zhenzhu Tang ◽

Chen Zhang ◽

Xiaoming Li ◽

Yu Liu ◽

Shaobing Su ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Sex Workers ◽

Female Sex Workers ◽

Southwest China ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Female Sex

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Intimate Partner Violence Among Female Sex Workers and Their Noncommercial Male Partners in Mexico: A Mixed-Methods Study

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801218794302 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 549-571 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Monica D. Ulibarri ◽

Marissa Salazar ◽

Jennifer L. Syvertsen ◽

Angela R. Bazzi ◽

M. Gudelia Rangel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Drug Use ◽

Sex Workers ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Female Sex Workers ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Ciudad Juarez ◽

Male Partners ◽

Female Sex

Utilizing mixed methods, we examined intimate partner violence (IPV) behaviors among 428 female sex workers (FSWs) who use drugs and their noncommercial male partners in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Half of all participants reported perpetrating and experiencing at least one type of IPV behavior in the past year. In interviews, drug use emerged as an important theme associated with IPV behaviors, and we found men and women differed in their motivations for engaging in IPV behaviors. Findings highlight how gender and power are interlinked with and may exacerbate drug use and IPV behaviors among marginalized populations.

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A community-based qualitative study on the experience and understandings of intimate partner violence and HIV vulnerability from the perspectives of female sex workers and male intimate partners in North Karnataka state, India

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-018-0554-8 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrea K. Blanchard ◽

◽

Sapna G. Nair ◽

Sharon G. Bruce ◽

Satyanarayana Ramanaik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Sex Workers ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Female Sex Workers ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Community Based ◽

Female Sex ◽

Karnataka State ◽

Hiv Vulnerability

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Factors Associated With Police Decisions on Immediate Responses to Intimate Partner Violence

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260517706762 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (15-16) ◽

pp. 2993-3010 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Merete Berg Nesset ◽

Johan Håkon Bjørngaard ◽

Jim Aage Nøttestad ◽

Richard Whittington ◽

Cecilie Lynum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Police Officers ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Health Problems ◽

Violence Risk ◽

Lethal Violence ◽

Emergency Situations

Police officers are often the first responders to intimate partner violence. The aim of the study was to examine the association between structured police assessments on-site in cases of intimate partner violence, and decisions about immediate arrest of the perpetrator and/or relocation of the victim. Data were extracted from police reports on 124 emergency visits in cases of intimate partner violence perpetrated by men toward women. Six out of totally 15 items of the intimate partner violence risk assessment measure B-SAFER were used by the front line police officers as the basis for decisions on whether or not to arrest the perpetrator or relocate the victim. The six items: perpetrator violent acts, violent threats or thoughts, escalation of violence, substance use problems, mental health problems, and breach of no-contact order, were selected on the basis of their utility in emergency situations. There were increased odds of arrest on-site if the perpetrator was physically violent (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-7.7) or had substance problems (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI = [1.0- 5.2]). There were increased odds of victim relocation if the perpetrator had mental health problems (AOR = 7.4, 95% CI = [2.4-23.1]) or if children were present on-site (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI = [1.1- 8.6]). In contrast, escalation of violence was associated with reduced odds of the perpetrator being arrested (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI = [0.1- 0.9]) or the victim being relocated (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI = [0.1- 1.3]). The finding that the police did not immediately respond to escalation, potentially signaling lethal violence needs to be addressed.

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Lifetime and past-month substance use and injection among street-based female sex workers in Iran

Harm Reduction Journal ◽

10.1186/s12954-021-00477-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Payam Roshanfekr ◽

Mehrdad Khezri ◽

Salah Eddin Karimi ◽

Meroe Vameghi ◽

Delaram Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Drug Use ◽

Injection Drug Use ◽

Sex Workers ◽

Female Sex Workers ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Female Sex ◽

History Of ◽

Group Sex

Abstract Background Street-based female sex workers (FSWs) are highly at risk of HIV and other harms associated with sex work. We assessed the prevalence of non-injection and injection drug use and their associated factors among street-based FSWs in Iran. Methods We recruited 898 FSWs from 414 venues across 19 major cities in Iran between October 2016 and March 2017. Correlates of lifetime and past-month non-injection and injection drug use were assessed through multivariable logistic regression models. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Results Lifetime and past-month non-injection drug use were reported by 60.3% (95% CI 51, 84) and 47.2% (95% CI 38, 67) of FSWs, respectively. The prevalence of lifetime and past-month injection drug use were 8.6% (95% CI 6.9, 10.7) and 3.7% (95% CI 2.6, 5.2), respectively. Recent non-injection drug use was associated with divorced marital status (AOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.07, 3.74), temporary marriage (AOR 4.31 [1.79, 10.40]), had > 30 clients per month (AOR 2.76 [1.29, 5.90]), ever alcohol use (AOR 3.03 [1.92, 6.79]), and history of incarceration (AOR 7.65 [3.89, 15.30]). Similarly, lifetime injection drug use was associated with ever alcohol use (AOR 2.74 [1.20–6.20]), ever incarceration (AOR 5.06 [2.48–10.28]), and ever group sex (AOR 2.44 [1.21–4.92]). Conclusions Non-injection and injection drug use are prevalent among street-based FSWs in Iran. Further prevention programs are needed to address and reduce harms associated with drug use among this vulnerable population in Iran.

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Six-year follow-up study of combined type ADHD from childhood to young adulthood: Predictors of functional impairment and comorbid symptoms

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.08.007 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 47-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

T Cadman ◽

J. Findon ◽

H. Eklund ◽

H. Hayward ◽

D. Howley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Drug Use ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

The United States ◽

Health Problems ◽

Population Norms ◽

Police Contact ◽

Dsm Iv

AbstractBackgroundADHD in childhood is associated with development of negative psychosocial and behavioural outcomes in adults. Yet, relatively little is known about which childhood and adulthood factors are predictive of these outcomes and could be targets for effective interventions. To date follow-up studies have largely used clinical samples from the United States with children ascertained at baseline using broad criteria for ADHD including all clinical subtypes or the use of DSM III criteria.AimsTo identify child and adult predictors of comorbid and psychosocial comorbid outcomes in ADHD in a UK sample of children with DSM-IV combined type ADHD.MethodOne hundred and eighteen adolescents and young adults diagnosed with DSM-IV combined type ADHD in childhood were followed for an average of 6 years. Comorbid mental health problems, drug and alcohol use and police contact were compared for those with persistent ADHD, sub-threshold ADHD and population norms taken from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Study 2007. Predictors included ADHD symptomology and gender.ResultsPersistent ADHD was associated with greater levels of anger, fatigue, sleep problems and anxiety compared to sub-threshold ADHD. Comorbid mental health problems were predicted by current symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not by childhood ADHD severity. Both persistent and sub-threshold ADHD was associated with higher levels of drug use and police contact compared to population norms.ConclusionsYoung adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD showed increased rates of comorbid mental health problems, which were predicted by current levels of ADHD symptoms. This suggests the importance of the continuing treatment of ADHD throughout the transitional years and into adulthood. Drug use and police contact were more common in ADHD but were not predicted by ADHD severity in this sample.

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