PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS

The prevalence and correlates of psychological distress were examined in a sample of 171 female sex workers in Queensland. It was found that 28 per cent were above the GHQ-28 threshold for mild psychiatric morb idity, a rate that is not appreciably different from that of women in the general community. The sample included only eight street sex worke rs, all of whom reported significant distress. Logistic regression ana lyses showed that a history of injecting drug use, an early age at lea ving home and wanting to leave the sex industry were independent predi ctors of poor mental health. Distressed sex workers reported fewer sex ual health examinations and less consistent condom use with their clie nts than those who were not distressed.