Prostitution in Migrants: Is Only Women's Sexual Health Relevant? Literature Review and Description of the Mental Health State of a Group of Migrant Women in Prostitution and Their Children

Introduction: Women in prostitution (WiP) have negative repercussions on their health, with many reports on physical and sexual health. Neither there are many studies on their mental health (MH) outcomes, nor do they include migrant women and their children. We aimed to describe the MH status of a group of migrant WiP and their children, and to conduct a brief literature review. Methods: 24 WiP and their 31 children were evaluated, they were Venezuelan and migrated to Colombia. A psychiatric interview was carried out, in addition to screenings for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), well-being (WHO-5) and cognitive performance (MoCA). A qualitative analysis of their narratives was also performed. Results: 89% of WiP had ≥1 mental disorder, with positive screenings for GAD-7 (95%), PHQ-9 (79%) and PCL-5 (63%). Their MoCA scored lower than expected in 63% of them. Most had witnessed or suffered from emotionally disturbing events before and during prostitution, besides multiple biopsychosocial risk factors in their life history. Their children commonly had hyperactivity and conduct problems, language and developmental delay, poor maternal attachment, and lack of schooling. Available reports about MH in WiP and their children are like ours. Conclusion: The MH impact for WiP and their children is often not included systematically in research and practice. Social determinants and biopsychosocial risk factors prior to prostitution should be considered at a structural level as they could reduce vulnerability to being victims of trafficking or exploitation, as well as its individual and familial consequences.