title: Triple jeopardy: adolescent experiences of sex work and migration in Zimbabwe.
abstract: Adolescence, migration and sex work are independent risk factors for HIV and other poor health outcomes. They are usually targeted separately with little consideration on how their intersection can enhance vulnerability. We interviewed ten women in Zimbabwe who experienced sex work and migration during adolescence, exploring implications for their health and for services to meet their needs. For most, mobility was routine throughout childhood due to family instability and political upheaval. The determinants of mobility, e.g. inability to pay school fees or desire for independence from difficult circumstances, also catalysed entry into sex work, which then led to further migration to maximise income. Respondents described their adolescence as a time of both vulnerability and opportunity, during which they developed survival skills. While these women did not fit neatly into separate risk profiles of "sex worker" "migrant" or "adolescent", the overlap of these experiences shaped their health and access to services. To address the needs of marginalised populations we must understand the intersection of multiple risks, avoiding simplified assumptions about each category.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: joanna.busza@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Busza
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Sibongile
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mtetwa
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Petronella
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chirawu
authors.affiliation: The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research, Zimbabwe; University College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cowan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D011477:Sex Work / Q000523:psychology*; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Adolescents; Migration; Sex work; Sexual health; Zimbabwe