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305422
Sex Workers Making Selections: An SMS-based needs assessment and resource referral system
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Renita Kim, B.S.
,
Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Kristina Wong, B.S.
,
Disease Prevention and Public Health Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Jennifer Galjour, MD/MPH
,
Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
Sex Workers Making Selections is an SMS-based resource referral system designed to connect female sex workers in Cape Town, South Africa to reproductive health and family planning services. Unintended pregnancy and mistreatment in the medical setting are common in this population due to their occupational status. SMS (Short Message Service) is a promising health promotion tool that has been shown to improve outcomes in several key populations. However, there has been little investigation into its utility among sex workers. Sex workers could benefit immensely from SMS-based intervention because of the high rates of homelessness in this population, inexpensive cost of SMS use, and near-universal ownership of cell phones. Few SMS interventions have involved confidential, interactive messaging. This program is designed to identify the reproductive health needs of sex workers and direct them to service providers that both offer the necessary services and have been reported as sex worker-friendly. We predict that this resource has the potential to improve access and utilization of reproductive health services among participants. The study will use pre and post survey data to assess acceptability and feasibility of the service among 50 female sex workers in Cape Town and simultaneously collect data on the reproductive health needs of this population. If the program improves access to reproductive health services, it will suggest that SMS is a viable medium for health promotion interventions for sex workers.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Identify the reproductive health needs of sex workers in Cape Town
Assess acceptability and feasibility of an SMS-based intervention among sex workers.
Keyword(s): Sex Workers, Reproductive Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been deeply involved with several global health initiatives that aim to optimize maternal and child health care delivery in underserved populations. My specific interests have focused on identifying culturally sensitive and user friendly methods for making health care more accessible.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
