Health care experiences of female sex workers: a qualitative study.

Abstract

Sex workers face significant barriers to accessing health services, including stigma, economic constraints, and safety concerns. In Turkey, this group is often subjected to discrimination and prejudiced approaches when accessing sexual health services, which reduces the uptake of health services. This study aims to analyze the health care experiences of sex workers in depth. The study conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 women working as sex workers in Adana brothel in July-October 2024, and the data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure socio-demographic diversity. Four main themes were identified through the analysis: Barriers to Access and Use of Health Services, Health Service Experiences and Satisfaction, Information and Awareness, and Emotional Situations. Participants indicated that they often preferred private health facilities due to difficulties in accessing public health services and long waiting times, but that these preferences were limited by cost. Improving the quality of public health services and reducing costs may improve public health by encouraging this group to use health services.