| Abstract: | Ethiopia is one of the developing countries. There are many marginalized people in both rural
and urban areas and the country experiences considerable seasonal labor migration mostly from
rural areas to urban. Female labor migrants seeking work in Ethiopia, in particular, mostly
engage in commercial sex work, which expose them to different kinds of health and
psychological-social problems. The objective of this study is to assess the health, related
psychological and social problems of female commercial sex workers in Arada sub-city, Addis
Ababa. The study conducted in different bars, hotels and restaurants. This work employed both
qualitative and quantitative methodology. It combined detailed one-to-one interviewing with
personal observation to bring out the perspectives of the women themselves. The data collected
by utilizing the designed questionnaire, checked for completeness and consistency by the
researcher. Data entry and analysis carried out using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistical
methods were used to explore the characteristics of the study participants and their health, social
and psychosocial problems. 50 female sex workers participated in the survey for this study.
Participants’ ages range from 18-47. 41 (82%) participants identified as Amhara, 3(6%) as Tigre,
2(4%) identified themselves as Oromo and the rest 4(8%) as mixed, Oromo and Amhara.
According to the CSWs interviewed the common illnesses that the women suffer are STIs (66%)
with syphilis (38%) and gonorrhea (36%) cited as the most common. Chancroid (10%) and HIV /
AIDS (6%) were also mentioned. The following symptoms of depression had been observed,
insomnia (60%), feelings of worthlessness or excessive inappropriate guilt (52%), diminished
ability to think or concentrate (48%), and recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation (22%).
The findings of this study showed that most of CSW suffers from different types of health and
psychosocial problems. STIs with syphilis and gonorrhea cited as the most common. Symptoms
of depression had been observed. Moreover, the majority of the CSWs interviewed expressed
that they suffered from Post traumatic stress disorder and have shown signs of anxiety disorder.
Stigma and discrimination were stated as the commonest social problems of the CSWs. |
