Health Status and Use of Healthcare Services of Undocumented Migrant Sex Workers in Catalonia: A Descriptive Study Using Administrative Registries

Abstract

STDs; administrative registries; healthcare use; real-world evidence; undocumented migrant sex workers

Migració; Salut pública; Treballadors sexuals

Migración; Salud pública; Trabajadores sexuales

The objective of the study is to describe the health status and use of public healthcare services by undocumented migrant sex workers (UMSWs) attended in Catalonia between 2013 and 2018. This study utilized a descriptive observational research design. Non-parametric tests were applied to estimate differences in the use of public healthcare services, and incidence and prevalence of selected sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) according to gender and region of origin. Out of 1464 women and 199 men UMSWs, 855 (51.4%) contacted primary care services once or more, and 378 (22.7%) used emergency services. Differences between regions of origin were found in the use of primary care services (Sub-Saharan Africa had 65.9% while Europe and Central Asia 43.0%, p < 0.001). Facilitating early diagnosis and improving access to healthcare resources among key populations such as men who have sex with men or transgender women can be achieved through interventions such as community-led point-of-care testing, which increases the frequency of HIV and STD screening and may also prove effective among UMSWs.

All the activities performed were funded by the Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (AQuAS) and CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP)