Wilson, E;
Barnard, S;
Mahmood, S;
Nuccio, O;
Rathod, SD;
Chowdhury, R;
Sapkota, S;
... Verde Hashim, C; + view all
(2021)
Experiences of a ‘screen and treat’ cervical cancer prevention programme among brothel-based female sex workers in Bangladesh: A qualitative interview study.
Women's Health
, 17
10.1177/17455065211047772.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Little is known about sex workers’ experiences of cervical cryotherapy. We sought to understand sex workers’ perspectives of ‘screen and treat’ programmes and their management of the World Health Organization post-treatment guidance to abstain from sex or use condoms consistently for 4 weeks. We explored contraceptive preferences and use of menstrual regulation services. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 sex workers and six brothel leaders in an urban brothel complex in Bangladesh between October and November 2018. All had undergone cryotherapy. We conducted a thematic analysis using deductive coding, informed by a priori themes, and inductive data-driven coding. RESULTS: Most sex workers could not abstain from sex during the healing period. Consistent condom use was challenging due to economic incentives attached to condomless sex and coercive behaviours of clients. The implications of non-adherence among high-risk groups such as sex workers are not known. Use of short-acting methods of contraception was common, and discontinuation was high due to side effects and other perceived health concerns. The majority of sex workers and brothel leaders had utilized menstrual regulation services. Barriers to accessing timely menstrual regulation and other sexual and reproductive health services included limited mobility, economic costs, and discriminatory attitudes of health care workers. CONCLUSION: Service innovations are required to enable sex workers to abstain or use condoms consistently in the post-cryotherapy healing phase and to address sex workers’ broader sexual and reproductive health needs. Further research is required to assess the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infection transmission following cryotherapy among high-risk groups.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Experiences of a ‘screen and treat’ cervical cancer prevention programme among brothel-based female sex workers in Bangladesh: A qualitative interview study |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1177/17455065211047772 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1177/17455065211047772 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). |
| Keywords: | Bangladesh, cancer screening, cervical cancer, cryotherapy, sex workers, STI |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Population, Policy and Practice Dept UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10149890 |
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