Psychiatric and characterological factors relevant to excess mortality in a long-term cohort of prostitute women.
We previously reported on the causes of death in a 30-year open cohort of 1,969 prostitute women. Excess mortality was mostly accounted for by homicide, suicide, drug and alcohol toxicity, and AIDS, with AIDS deaths occurring in prostitutes identified as injecting drug users. Presently, we examine observed mortality trends in light of the literature on personality and psychopathological characteristics reported for prostitute women, and with reports linking such personality characteristics to excess mortality. We observed consistency between the observed pattern of mortality in prostitute women and mortality that would be expected in a sample of persons at high risk for antisocial and borderline personality disorder.
Brody
Stuart
S
Institute for Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Germany. stuartbrody@hotmail.com
Potterat
John J
JJ
Muth
Stephen Q
SQ
Woodhouse
Donald E
DE
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D002605:Character; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000401:mortality; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D016387:Women's Health