Barriers and facilitators to utilisation of public sexual healthcare services for male sex workers who have sex with men (MSW-MSM) in The Netherlands:a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Male sex workers who have sex with men (MSW-MSM) are a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STI) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Provision of sexual services by MSW-MSM has shifted to the internet. Consequently, MSW-MSM have become hidden to care for providers of sexual healthcare services (SHS). The aim of this study was to 1) assess characteristics of the MSW-MSM population and 2) assess MSW-MSM's perceived barriers and facilitators to utilise SHS provided free and anonymously by the public health STI clinic in The Netherlands. METHODS: For this qual... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Peters, Charlotte Merel Marije
Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole Helena Theodora Maria
Evers, Ymke Joline
Hoebe, Christian Jean Pierre Antoine
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
Reihe/Periodikum: Peters , C M M , Dukers-Muijrers , N H T M , Evers , Y J & Hoebe , C J P A 2022 , ' Barriers and facilitators to utilisation of public sexual healthcare services for male sex workers who have sex with men (MSW-MSM) in The Netherlands : a qualitative study ' , BMC Public Health , vol. 22 , no. 1 , 1398 . https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13799-1
Schlagwörter: Male sex workers who have sex with men / STI / HIV / Sexual healthcare services / Public health services / Utilisation / STI testing / Sex work stigma / Prevention / Internet fieldwork / Implications for care / RISK BEHAVIOR
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29187741
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/d3296abe-8a53-4188-92d1-73830e0f0a96

BACKGROUND: Male sex workers who have sex with men (MSW-MSM) are a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STI) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Provision of sexual services by MSW-MSM has shifted to the internet. Consequently, MSW-MSM have become hidden to care for providers of sexual healthcare services (SHS). The aim of this study was to 1) assess characteristics of the MSW-MSM population and 2) assess MSW-MSM's perceived barriers and facilitators to utilise SHS provided free and anonymously by the public health STI clinic in The Netherlands. METHODS: For this qualitative study, semi-structured individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 MSW-MSM who worked home-based in the Dutch province of Limburg. Participants were recruited from November 2018 to June 2019 by purposive sampling until saturation was reached via 1) five websites and smartphone applications commonly used by MSW-MSM, 2) STI clinic, 3) two gay saunas. A theory-informed interview guide was developed including themes such as sexuality, sex work, SHS and barriers and facilitators to SHS utilisation. The interviews' recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed by inductive and deductive coding with Atlas.ti 8. RESULTS: The interviewed MSW-MSM were diverse in age (range: 18 - 66; median: 39.5) and mostly western European (85%). Identified barriers to SHS utilisation were lack of self-identification as homosexual and sex worker, perceived stigma on sex work and MSM, the lack of awareness of SHS and a low STI risk perception. Identified facilitators were trust in and positive attitude towards SHS, awareness of SHS's anonymous, confidential and free-of-charge nature, high STI risk perception and knowledgeable about STI/HIV. MSW-MSM-identified implications for SHS-providers were promotion of SHS on online MSW-MSM and general platforms (e.g. Facebook), offering one-on-one online and informal communication with an SHS-provider (e.g. STI clinic nurse) and providing STI (testing) information. CONCLUSION: ...