Psychosocial Characteristics and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Female Exotic Dancers Who Have Sex with Women in Baltimore: A Brief Report

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare psychosocial characteristics and sexual risk behaviors that may increase sexually transmitted infection risk among women who have sex with women compared to women who have sex with men only who are female exotic dancers (N = 117) in Baltimore, Maryland. The author used multivariate logistic regression to determine which psychosocial characteristics and sexual risk behaviors were independently associated with women who have sex with women status. Multivariate results indicated that women who have sex with women status was associated with recent homelessness, illicit substance use, and sex exchange. Prevention interventions for sexually transmitted infections should aim to address psychosocial vulnerabilities in addition to reducing sexual risk behaviors.

KEYWORDS:

• Exotic dancing
• female sex workers
• sexual risk
• stigma
• women who have sex with women

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (5R21DA033855-02; T-32DA007292), the Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research (1P30AI094189), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (T32 A1050056-12).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sahnah Lim

Sahnah Lim, PhD, MPH, MIA, recently received her doctoral degree at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is currently a project manager at the survey unit in the Bureau of Epidemiology at the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. Her research interests primarily focus on the reproductive and sexual health of marginalized populations such as sex workers and sexual minorities. Dr. Lim's methodological focus is on latent variable methods and health survey research methods.

Meredith L. Brantley

Meredith L. Brantley, is the director of HIV/STD Epidemiology and Surveillance at the Tennessee Department of Health. Her research interests focus on structural/environmental factors that influence sexual HIV/STD risk among vulnerable populations.

Katherine Footer

Katherine Footer, is an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Health Behavior and Society, and Barrister at law in England and Wales. Her focus is on the intersection of public health, human rights, and social justice with a specific focus on improving the health of sex workers, people who inject drugs and other neglected key populations.

Jennifer E. Nail

Jennifer E. Nail, has a PhD in Clinical Psychology with postdoctoral training in public mental health. Her research focuses on correlates of PTSD and justice system involvement in adolescent girls and young women. She is currently in private practice.

Wendy Davis

Wendy Davis, is a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also Senior Manager of the Prevention Core of the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research. Ms. Davis's work focuses on evaluating the specific contexts in which HIV risk occurs and designing interventions that address these risks for vulnerable populations both domestically and internationally.

Susan G. Sherman

Susan G. Sherman, is a Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at JHBSPH. Her research focuses on the structural determinants of HIV and other social harms among people who use drugs and women who sell sex. Her focus has included the role of police on the HIV risk of street-based sex workers and is evaluating a community-level empowerment intervention targeting this population.She also works to develop the evidence for harm reduction approaches to reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid use.