Abstract

GONZALEZ-FORTEZA, Catalina et al. Social correlates of depression and suicide risk in sexual workers from Hidalgo, Mexico. Salud Ment [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.4, pp.349-354. ISSN 0185-3325.

Available data on mental health among female sex workers in Mexico are scarce. The scarce evidence shows that the prevalence of depression and suicidal problems is much higher than in the general population. The objective of this article was to explore the psychosocial factors associated with depression and suicide risk in a sample of 103 sex workers from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Among them, the frequency of depression and suicide risk was higher than for women in the general population (39.8% and 3.0%, respectively). The variables that predicted these illnesses were a bad relationship with the mother, the negative health effects due to alcohol use, partner violence, and sexual violence. It is necessary to consider these results to promote actions that reduce or eliminate partner violence, promote the acquisition of skills to manage the negative consequences of violence and implement strategies to reduce the harm caused by alcohol consumption in this vulnerable group of the population.

Keywords : Depression; sex workers; suicide risk; alcohol use.

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