IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i11p5948-d1155285.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experiences of Sex Workers in Chicago during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

Author

Listed:
  • Randi Singer

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Sarah Abboud

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Amy K. Johnson

    (Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s, Chicago, IL 60611, USA)

  • Jessica L. Zemlak

    (College of Nursing, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA)

  • Natasha Crooks

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Sangeun Lee

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Johannes Wilson

    (Howard Brown Health Center, Chicago, IL 60613, USA)

  • Della Gorvine

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Jahari Stamps

    (Southside Health Advocacy Resource Partnership, Chicago, IL 60653, USA)

  • Douglas Bruce

    (Department of Health Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA)

  • Susan G. Sherman

    (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Alicia K. Matthews

    (Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY 10032, USA)

  • Crystal L. Patil

    (Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

Abstract

COVID-19 exacerbated health disparities, financial insecurity, and occupational safety for many within marginalized populations. This study, which took place between 2019 and 2022, aimed to explore the way in which sex workers ( n = 36) in Chicago were impacted by COVID-19. We analyzed the transcripts of 36 individual interviews with a diverse group of sex workers using thematic analysis. Five general themes emerged regarding the detrimental impact of COVID-19 on sex workers: (1) the impact of COVID-19 on physical health; (2) the economic impact of COVID-19; (3) the impact of COVID-19 on safety; (4) the impact of COVID-19 on mental health; and (5) adaptive strategies for working during COVID-19. Participants reported that their physical and mental health, economic stability, and safety worsened due to COVID-19 and that adaptive strategies did not serve to improve working conditions. Findings highlight the ways in which sex workers are particularly vulnerable during a public health crisis, such as COVID-19. In response to these findings, targeted resources, an increased access to funding, community-empowered interventions and policy changes are needed to protect the health and safety of sex workers in Chicago.

Suggested Citation

  • Randi Singer & Sarah Abboud & Amy K. Johnson & Jessica L. Zemlak & Natasha Crooks & Sangeun Lee & Johannes Wilson & Della Gorvine & Jahari Stamps & Douglas Bruce & Susan G. Sherman & Alicia K. Matthew, 2023. "Experiences of Sex Workers in Chicago during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:11:p:5948-:d:1155285
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/11/5948/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/11/5948/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Hennink, Monique & Kaiser, Bonnie N., 2022. "Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    3. Beattie, T.S.H. & Mohan, H.L. & Bhattacharjee, P. & Chandrashekar, S. & Isac, S. & Wheeler, T. & Prakash, R. & Ramesh, B.M. & Blanchard, J.F. & Heise, L. & Vickerman, P. & Moses, S. & Watts, C., 2014. "Community mobilization and empowerment of female sex workers in karnataka state, south india: Associations with hiv and sexually transmitted infection risk," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(8), pages 1516-1525.
    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. Gülüm Özer & İdil Işık & Jordi Escartín, 2024. "Is There Somebody Looking out for Me? A Qualitative Analysis of Bullying Experiences of Individuals Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-22, January.
    2. 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.
    3. Hiroyuki Yamada & Yuki Kanayama & Kanako Yoshikawa & Kyaw Wai Aung, 2023. "Risk attitude, risky behaviour and price determination in the sex market: A case study of Yangon, Myanmar," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 665-691, December.
    4. Júlio Belo Fernandes & Diana Vareta & Sónia Fernandes & Ana Silva Almeida & Dina Peças & Noélia Ferreira & Liliana Roldão, 2022. "Rehabilitation Workforce Challenges to Implement Person-Centered Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-9, March.
    5. Daniel Muir & Cristiana Orlando & Becci Newton, 2024. "Impact of summer programmes on the outcomes of disadvantaged or ‘at risk’ young people: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), June.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. Maria Provenzano & Nicola Cillara & Felice Curcio & Maria Orsola Pisu & Cesar Iván Avilés González & Maria Francisca Jiménez-Herrera, 2024. "Electronic Health Record Adoption and Its Effects on Healthcare Staff: A Qualitative Study of Well-Being and Workplace Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-14, October.
    9. 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.
    10. Yu, Jiazhou & Dong, Dong & Sumerlin, Timothy S. & Kim, Jean H., 2023. "Feasibility of introducing effective alcohol harms reduction strategies in a low regulation region: A qualitative study from Hong Kong," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    11. 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.
    12. Hall, Julie & Hawkins, Olivia & Montgomery, Amy & Singh, Saniya & Mullan, Judy & Degeling, Chris, 2022. "Dismantling antibiotic infrastructures in residential aged care: The invisible work of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    13. 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.
    14. Hossam Mohamed Elhamy & Maha Abdulmajeed, 2023. "Arab Media Researchers’ Perceptions of Factors Affecting Their Research Problem Selection," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.
    15. 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.
    16. Wesley Darling & Jacquelyn Broader & Adam Cohen & Susan Shaheen, 2023. "Going My Way? Understanding Curb Management and Incentive Policies to Increase Pooling Service Use and Public Transit Linkages in the San Francisco Bay Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.
    17. Michal Beňo, 2023. "Re-Establishing Home and Work Boundaries by Pseudo-Commuting Whilst Working from Home," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2023(4), pages 123-134.
    18. Sunny Jiao & Vicky Bungay & Emily Jenkins, 2021. "Information and Communication Technologies in Commercial Sex Work: A Double-Edged Sword for Occupational Health and Safety," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, January.
    19. Izudi, Jonathan & Cattamanchi, Adithya & Castelnuovo, Barbara & King, Rachel, 2024. "Barriers and facilitators to viral load suppression among people living with HIV following intensive adherence counseling in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    20. Irena Ferčíková Konečná, 2024. "Excluded but Fighting: Where Are the Voices of Sex Workers and Their Allies in EU Anti-Trafficking Policymaking?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-14, March.

    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:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:11:p:5948-:d:1155285. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.