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I wonder how long it will take (files.catbox.moe)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/antiwork@lemmy.ml
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[–] 10 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

Are you aware of any sources specifically evaluating participation in sex work as a causal factor in mental and substance disorders (as opposed to sex work represented more prominently in populations already affected)?

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yes, this study corrected for reports of CSA, lower income, etc. in people who are drug addicts. For those who are additionally sex workers they found:

    increased rates of mental and physical health problems (eg, suicide attempts, anxiety, STDs, and bloodborne infections) and use of some health services (eg, emergency department visits for women and mental health services for men)

    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/482625#SEC2

    There aren't many studies done which correct for mental health issues before someone starts as a sex worker. Even less which achieve a long-term study over a cohort of sex workers where not ~80 % can't be found anymore for various reasons.

    But there are a few on how to protect the Johns sex workers from STDs. I leave the interpretation of this inbalance in research to you. :-)

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)

    If two effects are correlated, then three possible causal relationships are possible.

    A first effect may cause the second, or the second may cause the first, or a so-called third variable may cause both.

    It is possible that an individual who has been afflicted by certain difficulties is more likely to participate in sex work.

    It is also possible that individuals from certain populations are more likely to participate in sex work, and also, due to being associated with the population, are also more likely to be afflicted by certain difficulties.

    Both possibilities must be considered as alternative to sex work causing such difficulties, to explain the correlation.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I do know how correlation works. The study above shows that, when you correct for previous mental health issues, for lower socioeconomic status, low income, drug abuse, etc. sex work increases various mental and physical health risks and mortality.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

    Right. The remaining possibility is the third variable. Membership in certain populations may be associated with increased likelihood of becoming a sex worker and also of experiencing difficulties that you are suggested are caused directly by being a sex worker. Such difficulties may appear after someone has become a sex worker, even while having an independence cause.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Sure, but that is true for ever job then. An unknown and hidden confounding factor explaining job choice and the problems of the job can always exist.

    Police officer or fire fighter aren't actually dangerous. It is simply that people who are more likely to make bad decisions that get them killed also are those that choose to be police officer or fire fighters.

    Burnout does not affect teachers with higher probability than it affects hairdressers. It is because people who get burnouts are also the people who choose to be teachers.

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  • [–] -2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    Sure, but that is true for ever job then. An unknown and hidden confounding factor explaining job choice and the problems of the job can always exist.

    The general principle may apply to any job, but you wanted to study the population of sex workers in particular, and doing so requires collecting and analyzing data, in regard to sex workers, properly and sufficiently, toward a conclusion.

    I only suggested that your conclusion may not be robust if sex work is disproportionately represented by populations that carry broader vulnerabilities to some of the difficulties that you inferred were directly consequences of sex work.

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