Table 1.
Baseline characteristics.a
| Characteristic | All sex workers (n=547) | Used WISH within previous 6 months
|
P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (n=269) | No (n=278) | |||
| Individual/sociodemographic | ||||
| Age, y | 33 (27–42) | 35 (29–43) | 33 (26–40) | 0.002 |
| Aboriginal ancestry b | 247 (45.2) | 151 (56.1) | 96 (34.5) | <0.001 |
| Born in Canada | 488 (89.2) | 260 (96.7) | 228 (82.0) | <0.001 |
| LGBTQ | 170 (31.1) | 81 (30.1) | 89 (32.0) | 0.631 |
| Completed high school or further education | 233 (42.6) | 100 (37.2) | 133 (47.8) | 0.012 |
| Homeless c | 213 (38.9) | 111 (41.3) | 102 (36.7) | 0.273 |
| Injection drug use c | 277 (50.6) | 156 (58.0) | 121 (43.5) | 0.001 |
| Non-injection drug use c | 470 (85.9) | 248 (92.2) | 222 (79.9) | <0.001 |
| Health status | ||||
| HIV seropositivity | 78 (14.3) | 50 (18.6) | 28 (10.1) | 0.004 |
| STI seropositivity | 71 (13.0) | 36 (13.4) | 35 (12.6) | 0.783 |
| Diagnosis of mental health issue (ever) | 314 (57.4) | 162 (60.2) | 152 (54.7) | 0.190 |
| Partner/dyad sexual risks c | ||||
| Inconsistent condom use by male client | 121 (22.1) | 66 (24.5) | 55 (19.8) | 0.181 |
| Exchange of sex for drugs | 208 (38.0) | 110 (40.9) | 98 (35.3) | 0.174 |
| Physical/sexual violence by client | 152 (27.8) | 77 (28.6) | 75 (27.0) | 0.667 |
| Work environment c | ||||
| Street/public space | 307 (56.1) | 158 (58.7) | 149 (53.6) | Reference |
| Informal indoor venues (e.g. bars, hotels, saunas) | 178 (32.5) | 92 (34.2) | 86 (30.9) | 0.963 |
| Formal indoor venues (e.g. brothels) | 62 (11.3) | 19 (7.1) | 43 (15.5) | 0.003 |
| Sexual and reproductive health outcomes | ||||
| Use of barrier contraceptives c | 359 (65.6) | 175 (65.1) | 184 (66.2) | 0.781 |
| Use of modern contraceptives c,d | 103 (18.8) | 41 (15.2) | 62 (22.3) | 0.035 |
| Use of permanent contraceptives c | 36 (6.6) | 21 (7.8) | 15 (5.4) | 0.256 |
| Pregnancy (ever) | 420 (76.8) | 208 (77.3) | 212 (76.3) | 0.768 |
| Number of unintended pregnancies | 2 (0–3) | 2 (0–3) | 1.5 (0–4) | 0.563 |
| Access to care c | ||||
| Sexual and reproductive health services | 198 (36.2) | 124 (46.1) | 74 (26.6) | <0.001 |
| Sought care for a health issue | 364 (66.5) | 189 (70.3) | 175 (62.9) | 0.070 |
| Hospitalization (overnight or longer) | 119 (21.8) | 75 (27.9) | 44 (15.8) | 0.001 |
| Experienced barriers to primary health care | 362 (66.2) | 172 (63.9) | 190 (68.3) | 0.276 |
Abbreviations: WISH, Women’s Information Safe Haven Drop-In Centre; LGBT, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or other sexual minority (e.g. transsexual, two-spirited, or other); STI, sexually transmitted infection.
a
Values are given as median (interquartile range) or number (percentage), unless indicated otherwise.
b
First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and non-status First Nations.
c
All variables refer to activities in last 6 months of baseline interview.
d
Oral contraceptive pills, Depo-Provera, intrauterine device, vaginal ring, and/or diaphragm.