Sexual health care for sex workers.
BACKGROUND
The Australian STI Prevention Framework identifies sex workers as a priority group. The Hunter New England Sexual Health Unit, based at the Royal Newcastle Hospital (New South Wales) provides free sexual health care to sex industry workers.


OBJECTIVE
To assess current service delivery and barriers to accessing sexual health care by registered brothel based sex industry workers in the Hunter New England area.


METHODS
An on site survey of 36 sex industry workers was conducted.


RESULTS
Seventy-four percent of participants sought sexual health advice from a general practitioner compared to 37% from the sexual health unit. Seventy-seven percent of participants reported having their sexual health screening carried out according to guidelines. The most frequently stated reason for not using the sexual health unit was the inconvenience of clinic opening times.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the important role that GPs play in providing sexual health care to sex industry workers. It provides the impetus for future research, education and strategies to improve health service delivery to this important group of patients.
Esler
Danielle
D
Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Health Service District, Queensland.
Ooi
Catriona
C
Merritt
Tony
T
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012736:Sex Education / Q000592:standards*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires