Research report: "It’s all about making a life": young female sex workers vulnerability to HIV and prevention needs in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

This report presents findings from a qualitative study examining the vulnerability to HIV of young female sex workers (FSW) in Kumasi, Ghana and their prevention needs. The study was conducted by Boston University’s Center for Global and Health and Development (CGHD) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as part of the Project SEARCH Program funded by PEPFAR and the United States Agency for International Development Ghana. The objectives of this study were to: 1) Investigate knowledge about and perceptions of HIV in young FSW in the Kumasi Metropolitan area, 2) Explore their risk behaviors, and 3) Identify their most urgent prevention needs. A secondary objective was to provide foundational knowledge to inform the design of future studies of girls and young women engaging in sex work in Ghana.