Frederik Gouliaev, Nicolas Jonsson, Sarah Gersing, Michael Lisby, Kresten Lindorff-Larsen, Rasmus Hartmann-Petersen
Destabilization and Degradation of a Disease-Linked PGM1 Protein Variant
Biochemistry
female sex workers fsws kenya increased risk violence poverty police arrest problematic alcohol substance use linked poor mental health suicidal ideation despite psychological stressors experienced fsws published qualitative methods research investigating mental health experiences kenya paper draw data indepth interviews examine fsws lifetime mental health experiences perceived risk factors used baseline indepth interviews maisha fiti longitudinal study fsws nairobi randomly selected 40 fsws 1003 fsws attended baseline behaviouralbiological interview part maisha fiti study interview guide semistructured participants asked detail life stories including narrating specific events entry sex work experiences violence mental health experiences use alcohol substances interviews recorded kiswahili english transcribed english data coded thematically analysed nvivo v12 results indicated majority participants understood mental health insanity stress depression suicide nevertheless number described mental health symptomatically believed mental health problems caused witchcraft interestingly poverty low levels education poor job opportunities lack family support harmful gender norms intimate partner violence subsequent relationship breakdowns family bereavement contributed poor mental health subsequent entry sex work addition consequences sex work sexual risks ongoing violence police clients exacerbated poor mental health need micro macro interventions address poverty violence fsws kenya thereby reducing mental health problems addressing violence women girls may also reduce entry sex work improving mental health literacy providing mental health intervention services atrisk populations fsws enhance coping strategies helpseeking efficacy