IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v65y2019i6p445-457.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Lifetime experiences of gender-based violence, depression and condom use among female sex workers in Cameroon

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Abelson
  • Carrie Lyons
  • Michele Decker
  • Sosthenes Ketende
  • Iliassou Mfochive Njindam
  • Ghislaine Fouda
  • Flavien Ndonko
  • Daniel Levitt
  • Ubald Tamoufe
  • Serge Billong
  • Anne-Cecile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek
  • Stefan D Baral

Abstract

Background: In general populations, consistent data highlight the relationships among violence, HIV risk behavior and depression; however, these patterns are not well understood among female sex workers (FSWs). We examined the relationship between FSWs’ experiences with sexual violence and consistent condom use as a key HIV risk behavior and explored mental health as a potential mediator. Methods: In total, 2,165 FSWs were recruited via respondent-driven sampling in Cameroon in 2016. The women answered questions about violence, condom use and mental health. Results: Inconsistent condom use with clients was reported by 23.5% of participants (508/2,165). Lifetime sexual violence was prevalent with 33.0% (713/2,163) of participants. Almost 50% (1,067/2,143) of respondents had some level of depression. Sexual violence was significantly associated with inconsistent condom use (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.2–1.6)). Of FSWs with no depression, 24.9% (267/1,071) reported sexual violence, versus 56.1% (32/57) of respondents with severe depression ( p  

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Abelson & Carrie Lyons & Michele Decker & Sosthenes Ketende & Iliassou Mfochive Njindam & Ghislaine Fouda & Flavien Ndonko & Daniel Levitt & Ubald Tamoufe & Serge Billong & Anne-Cecile Zoung-Kany, 2019. "Lifetime experiences of gender-based violence, depression and condom use among female sex workers in Cameroon," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(6), pages 445-457, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:65:y:2019:i:6:p:445-457
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764019858646
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764019858646
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0020764019858646?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Piroska Östlin & Ted Schrecker & Ritu Sadana & Josiane Bonnefoy & Lucy Gilson & Clyde Hertzman & Michael P Kelly & Tord Kjellstrom & Ronald Labonté & Olle Lundberg & Carles Muntaner & Jennie Popay & G, 2011. "Priorities for Research on Equity and Health: Towards an Equity-Focused Health Research Agenda," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(11), pages 1-6, November.
    2. Deering, K.N. & Amin, A. & Shoveller, J. & Nesbitt, A. & Garcia-Moreno, C. & Duff, P. & Argento, E. & Shannon, K., 2014. "A systematic review of the correlates of violence against sex workers," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(5), pages 42-54.
    3. Matthias Schonlau & Elisabeth Liebau, 2012. "Respondent-driven sampling," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 12(1), pages 72-93, March.
    4. Alexander C Tsai, 2013. "Intimate Partner Violence and Population Mental Health: Why Poverty and Gender Inequities Matter," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-3, May.
    5. Karen M Devries & Joelle Y Mak & Loraine J Bacchus & Jennifer C Child & Gail Falder & Max Petzold & Jill Astbury & Charlotte H Watts, 2013. "Intimate Partner Violence and Incident Depressive Symptoms and Suicide Attempts: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Schonlau, Matthias & Liebau, Elisabeth, 2012. "Respondent-Driven Sampling," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 12(1), pages 72-93.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Henry, Christopher S. & Huynh, Kim P. & Nicholls, Gradon, 2018. "Bitcoin awareness and usage in Canada," Journal of Digital Banking, Henry Stewart Publications, vol. 2(4), pages 311-337, May.
    2. Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls, 2017. "Bitcoin Awareness and Usage in Canada," Staff Working Papers 17-56, Bank of Canada.
    3. Tara S. Beattie & Rhoda Kabuti & Alicja Beksinska & Hellen Babu & Mary Kung’u & The Maisha Fiti Study Champions & Pooja Shah & Emily Nyariki & Chrispo Nyamweya & Monica Okumu & Anne Mahero & Pauline N, 2023. "Violence across the Life Course and Implications for Intervention Design: Findings from the Maisha Fiti Study with Female Sex Workers in Nairobi, Kenya," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Mannell, Jenevieve & Ahmad, Lida & Ahmad, Ayesha, 2018. "Narrative storytelling as mental health support for women experiencing gender-based violence in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 91-98.
    5. Azam, Anahita & Hendrickx, Jef & Adriaenssens, Stef, 2021. "Estimating the Prostitution Population in the Netherlands and Belgium: A Capture-Recapture Application to Online Data," MPRA Paper 110505, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Meffert, Susan M. & McCulloch, Charles E. & Neylan, Thomas C. & Gandhi, Monica & Lund, Crick, 2015. "Increase of perceived frequency of neighborhood domestic violence is associated with increase of women's depression symptoms in a nationally representative longitudinal study in South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 89-97.
    7. Rachel Jewkes & Minja Milovanovic & Kennedy Otwombe & Esnat Chirwa & Khuthadzo Hlongwane & Naomi Hill & Venice Mbowane & Mokgadi Matuludi & Kathryn Hopkins & Glenda Gray & Jenny Coetzee, 2021. "Intersections of Sex Work, Mental Ill-Health, IPV and Other Violence Experienced by Female Sex Workers: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Community-Centric National Study in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-13, November.
    8. Yolanda Mejías-Martín & Celia Martí-García & Yolanda Rodríguez-Mejías & Ana Alejandra Esteban-Burgos & Víctor Cruz-García & María Paz García-Caro, 2023. "Understanding for Prevention: Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Suicide Notes and Forensic Reports," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Katie Hail-Jares & Ruth C F Chang & Sugy Choi & Huang Zheng & Na He & Z Jennifer Huang, 2015. "Intimate-Partner and Client-Initiated Violence among Female Street-Based Sex Workers in China: Does a Support Network Help?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    10. Diksha Sapkota & Kathleen Baird & Amornrat Saito & Pappu Rijal & Rita Pokharel & Debra Anderson, 2020. "‘We don’t see because we don’t ask’: Qualitative exploration of service users’ and health professionals’ views regarding a psychosocial intervention targeting pregnant women experiencing domestic and ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, March.
    11. Mushavi, Rumbidzai C. & Burns, Bridget F.O. & Kakuhikire, Bernard & Owembabazi, Moran & Vořechovská, Dagmar & McDonough, Amy Q. & Cooper-Vince, Christine E. & Baguma, Charles & Rasmussen, Justin D. & , 2020. "“When you have no water, it means you have no peace”: A mixed-methods, whole-population study of water insecurity and depression in rural Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    12. Gustavo J Bobonis & Roberto Castro & Juan S Morales, 2020. "Legal Reforms, Conditional Cash Transfers, and Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence from Mexico," Working Papers tecipa-678, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    13. Anna-Louise Crago & Chris Bruckert & Melissa Braschel & Kate Shannon, 2021. "Sex Workers’ Access to Police Assistance in Safety Emergencies and Means of Escape from Situations of Violence and Confinement under an “End Demand” Criminalization Model: A Five City Study in Canada," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, January.
    14. Shirley J Semple & Jamila K Stockman & Eileen V Pitpitan & Steffanie A Strathdee & Claudia V Chavarin & Doroteo V Mendoza & Gregory A Aarons & Thomas L Patterson, 2015. "Prevalence and Correlates of Client-Perpetrated Violence against Female Sex Workers in 13 Mexican Cities," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    15. Bill McCarthy & Mikael Jansson & Cecilia Benoit, 2021. "Job Attributes and Mental Health: A Comparative Study of Sex Work and Hairstyling," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, January.
    16. Eleonora Crapolicchio & Vincenza Cinquegrana & Camillo Regalia, 2023. "The Role of Positivity on Depressive Symptoms in Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-16, November.
    17. Cecilia Benoit & Mikael Jansson & Michaela Smith & Jackson Flagg, 2017. "“Well, It Should Be Changed for One, Because It’s Our Bodies”: Sex Workers’ Views on Canada’s Punitive Approach towards Sex Work," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-17, May.
    18. Sharon Broughton & Marilyn Ford‐Gilboe, 2017. "Predicting family health and well‐being after separation from an abusive partner: role of coercive control, mother's depression and social support," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(15-16), pages 2468-2481, August.
    19. Goessmann, Katharina & Ibrahim, Hawkar & Saupe, Laura Bebra & Ismail, Azad Ali & Neuner, Frank, 2019. "The contribution of mental health and gender attitudes to intimate partner violence in the context of war and displacement: Evidence from a multi-informant couple survey in Iraq," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 1-1.
    20. Rachel Jewkes & Samantha Willan & Lori Heise & Laura Washington & Nwabisa Shai & Alice Kerr-Wilson & Andrew Gibbs & Erin Stern & Nicola Christofides, 2021. "Elements of the Design and Implementation of Interventions to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls Associated with Success: Reflections from the What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Gi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-16, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:65:y:2019:i:6:p:445-457. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.