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Published on: July 6, 2014
Female sex workers in China: vectors of disease?
Catherine Pirkle1, Riswana Soundardjee, Artuso Stella
1Unité de Santé Internationale, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. catherinepirkle@gmail.com
Objective:
To analyze the extent by which Chinese female sex workers (FSWs) serve as vectors of HIV/AIDS to an otherwise spared general population and to describe the implications of centering efforts solely on this high-risk group.
Goal:
By using the example of FSWs in China, we intend to demonstrate the role that structural factors can have on HIV transmission above and beyond individual high-risk behaviors.
Study Design:
Literature review of years 1980-2006.
Results:
Analysis of the literature suggests that major determinants of HIV transmission amongst FSWs in China include sociopolitical context, gender, work environment and finally, risky sexual behaviors.
Conclusions:
Chinese FSWs live in a specific sociopolitical context that shapes their capacities to engage in safe-sex practices. Focusing on FSWs as vectors of HIV/AIDS epidemic in China neglects the larger context that endangers all members of society and blames an already vulnerable population.
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