Knowledge about reproductive tract infections and sex work among female textile workers in Surat, India.
Binita Desai, Jayendrakumar K Kosambiya, Bharat Patel and 3 others
PMID 31084530WHAT IT FOUND
Female textile workers in Surat had little knowledge of reproductive tract infections or HIV transmission.
They believed condoms only prevented pregnancy. While none admitted to sex work, they attributed economic vulnerability as the primary driver for others entering high-risk sexual activities.
Key findings
01Participants reported limited knowledge regarding reproductive tract infections, with many remaining silent or hearing the terms for the first time during the discussion.
02None of the participants recognized that condoms could prevent sexually transmitted infections; they only associated condom use with pregnancy prevention.
03Women identified economic hardship, such as loss of spousal support or inability to pay rent, as the main reason other women in the markets engaged in sex work.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (18 participants) limits generalizability. Self-selection and group dynamics in focus discussions may have suppressed disclosure of personal sex work due to stigma or fear of judgment. The study was conducted in a specific urban area in India, so findings may not apply to other regions or populations. Qualitative design means no statistical prevalence of these behaviors or knowledge gaps can be established.
Declared interests
Research supported by N.I.H., Extramural. No other conflicts declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the participants' estimates of sex work prevalence as factual data. These were subjective perceptions from a small, qualitative sample, and none of the participants admitted to the behavior themselves, suggesting significant underreporting due to stigma.