Recent im/migration to Canada linked to unmet health needs among sex workers in Vancouver, Canada: Findings of a longitudinal study.
Julie Sou, Shira M Goldenberg, Putu Duff and 3 others
PMID 28300492WHAT IT FOUND
Sex workers in Vancouver who had recently moved to Canada were more likely to say they could not get health care when needed.
Long-term migration, police harassment and past abuse were also linked to unmet health needs.
Key findings
01189 of 742 street and indoor sex workers reported unmet health needs at least once over the 4-year study period.
02In the adjusted model, recent im/migration, long-term im/migration, police harassment including arrest, and lifetime abuse/trauma were independently associated with elevated odds of unmet health need.
03HIV seropositivity and unstable/transitional housing were among the factors associated with lower odds of unmet health need.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is an observational cohort, so it shows association, not cause. The analysis did not include legal immigration status. Unmet health need was measured with one self-report question. Sensitive topics such as violence, trauma, and drug use may have been underreported. Only 559 of 742 participants returned for at least one follow-up visit. The sample was sex workers in Vancouver, so it may not apply to other settings.
Declared interests
The article lists non-U.S. government and N.I.H. extramural research support. No author conflict-of-interest statement is included.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that migration causes unmet health needs. This is an observational study, and it did not measure legal immigration status, which may be part of the problem.