Sex workers' sexual health and peer education project in Goroka, eastern highlands province, Papua New Guinea
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Date
2004
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea Medical Journal
Abstract
We conducted a survey among female sex workers in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province,
Papua New Guinea to evaluate the frequency of sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms
they suffered, their STD and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) transmission knowledge and
health-seeking behaviours, the forms that their HIV risk perception took, and the types and
quantities of educational resources to which they had access and in fact used. This survey was a
part of a larger study of sex workers that was carried out in two other cities, Lae, the capital of
Morobe Province, and Port Moresby, the nation's capital. We interviewed 190 self-identified
female sex workers who had been recruited between January 1999 and October 1999 through
peer-mediated contacts. In an average one-week period, the women had intercourse with two
customers, two to three times, and one boyfriend once or twice. In the surveyed group, 83% of
the women had a history of symptomatic STDs and 73% had gone to an STD clinic for
treatment. Of the women who used condoms at all, 7% used them each time they had sex with
clients, but only 3% used them each time they had sex with steady partners. The remaining 93%
of the women used condoms on some occasions or not at all. Most women (72%) knew about
male-female transmission of HIV, but fewer cited other sexual and non-sexual modes of
transmission. The majority of the women (71%) felt that they were of low or unknown risk of
acquiring HIV infection. When asked where or to whom they would go when concerned about
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or STDs, most women (93%) said that they
would go to a health care provider. Evaluating the sex workers' understanding of STDs and HIV
has been essential in designing education and intervention projects so as better to address the
future morbidity and mortality associated with STDs and AIDS.
Description
Keywords
Papua New Guinea, Sexual health, Peer education project
Citation
Morof, D., Wahasoka, A., Nivia, H., Lupiwa, T. and Mgone, C., 2004. Sex workers' sexual health and peer education project in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea Medical Journal, 47(1/2), p.50.
URI
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diane_Morof/publication/7279959_Sex_Workers'_Sexual_Health_and_Peer_Education_Project_in_Goroka_Eastern_Highlands_Province_Papua_New_Guinea/links/0fcfd50b7c68dc9028000000/Sex-Workers-Sexual-Health-and-Peer-Education-Project-in-Goroka-Eastern-Highlands-Province-Papua-New-Guinea.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/426
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/426