Meeting the Reproductive Health Needs of Female Sex Workers in Côte D'Ivoire: Protecting the Human Right to Dignified Health

Overview

Journal Reprod Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2023 Sep 5

PMID 37670305

Authors

Nika Elmi

Nuria Gallego Marquez

Katherine Rucinski

Carrie Lyons

Gnilane Turpin

Ibrahima Ba

Nguissali Turpin

Emile Gouane

Evelyne Obodou

Daouda Diouf

Stefan Baral

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The sexual and reproductive health needs of female sex workers (FSW) are often understudied and underserved in the context of HIV-related research in countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa. We assessed the lived experiences of FSW across Côte d'Ivoire to characterize unmet reproductive health needs and opportunities to address them. From February-August, 2020, ENDA Santé, Côte d'Ivoire conducted 75 in-depth interviews and 15 focus group discussions with FSW and community informants in five cities in Côte d'Ivoire. Themes that emerged included the inconsistent use of contraception services, a history of unintended pregnancies, and experiences of stigma at public healthcare facilities. Opportunities to increase the impact of both SRH and HIV services included strengthening existing HIV and family planning service integration for FSW. Taken together, the results highlight the importance of addressing the unmet reproductive health needs of FSW to both optimize the HIV response and increase the delivery of human-rights affirming sexual and reproductive health services for sex workers.

Citing Articles

The prevalence and correlates of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in South China: a cross-sectional study.

Liang P, Zhao P, Shi Y, Huang S, Wang C Reprod Health. 2024; 21(1):110.

PMID: 39049096 PMC: 11270758. DOI: 10.1186/s12978-024-01853-7.

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