Sex worker HIV risk

Key take-home messages

• The Canadian literature primarily encompasses female sex workers in Vancouver, and studies from other high income countries often addressed demographic niches that were not transferrable to the Canadian setting.
• Establishing the prevalence of HIV among sex workers is challenging because they are a hard-to-reach population. Estimates range from 1% to 60%.
• There are three main categories of risk for HIV infection among commercial sex workers in Canada: high risk sex or sex with high risk partners, illicit drug use, and unstable living and working environments. Other risk factors include young age, tattooing or body piercing, and a history of sexual abuse.
• Decriminalization of commercial sex activities is essential for the protection of sex workers. Other interventions should target sex workers specifically and should involve harm reduction activities that are contextually and culturally appropriate for this population.

• Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
  • Epidemiology
• Determinants of Health
  • Housing
  • Stigma/discrimination
  • Abuse
• Population(s)
  • Children or Youth (less than 18 years old)
  • Sex workers
• Prevention
  • Sexual risk behaviour
  • Drug use behaviours/harm reduction
• Substance Use
  • Nonmedicinal drugs