This study used a mix-methods design consisting of focus group discussions (FGDs) and a cross-sectional survey. Two study sites were selected for data collection, the capital city of Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata (a tourist destination and the country’s third largest city). These sites were selected because of their large populations of Venezuelan migrants and female sex workers. We recruited participants using systematic sampling through two civil society organizations, the Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN) in Santo Domingo and the Centro de Promoción y Solidaridad Humana (CEPROSH) in Puerto Plata. Both organizations provide integrated health services, including HIV/STIs services, and have a long history of working with female sex workers, including migrants. Peer navigators and outreach workers at each organization contacted potential participants, explained the study objectives, and connected those who were interested with research staff.
Eligibility criteria were to be an adult woman (≥18 years); a migrant from Venezuela; to have exchanged sex for money, drugs, food, or a place to sleep during the previous 6 months; and to provide written and verbal informed consent.
Data were collected from September through October 2021. At both study sites, FGDs were conducted in a counseling room by a trained member of the study team. Surveys were administered on paper. All FGDs were audio-recorded with permission from participants and conducted in Spanish. Participants did not mention their names while being recorded; to maintain confidentiality, we assigned a numeric code to each participant during the FGD and an alphanumeric code for the paper-based survey. Participants who fully agreed to participate in the interviews were also invited to the FGDs. The discussions had a duration of approximately 60 minutes, and participants were compensated for participating (US$ 10).
Surveys were administered by a research team member in Spanish, took approximately 45 minutes to complete, and had closed-ended questions. The survey included sections on sociodemographics, migration experiences, sexual history, sexual risk behaviors, health care seeking behavior, psychosocial and mental health wellbeing, health care access, social services access, social support, and violence. The survey instrument was piloted with 10 participants who were not included in the final analysis. The instrument has been used in previous local serological and epidemiological studies (15 -17 (link)).
In total, four FGDs were conducted with two to seven participants per group (two FGDs at each study site); 40 surveys were administered (20 at each study site). The FGDs were used to further explore personal experiences with navigating health services, the migratory process to the DR, access to SRH services, state of health and mood, substance abuse, violence, educational level, and knowledge of HIV/STI transmission. Because we could not estimate the population of Venezuelan female sex workers in the DR, a power calculation could not be made; therefore, the sample obtained was based on peer-to-peer invitation at study sites.
Eligibility criteria were to be an adult woman (≥18 years); a migrant from Venezuela; to have exchanged sex for money, drugs, food, or a place to sleep during the previous 6 months; and to provide written and verbal informed consent.
Data were collected from September through October 2021. At both study sites, FGDs were conducted in a counseling room by a trained member of the study team. Surveys were administered on paper. All FGDs were audio-recorded with permission from participants and conducted in Spanish. Participants did not mention their names while being recorded; to maintain confidentiality, we assigned a numeric code to each participant during the FGD and an alphanumeric code for the paper-based survey. Participants who fully agreed to participate in the interviews were also invited to the FGDs. The discussions had a duration of approximately 60 minutes, and participants were compensated for participating (US$ 10).
Surveys were administered by a research team member in Spanish, took approximately 45 minutes to complete, and had closed-ended questions. The survey included sections on sociodemographics, migration experiences, sexual history, sexual risk behaviors, health care seeking behavior, psychosocial and mental health wellbeing, health care access, social services access, social support, and violence. The survey instrument was piloted with 10 participants who were not included in the final analysis. The instrument has been used in previous local serological and epidemiological studies (15 -17 (link)).
In total, four FGDs were conducted with two to seven participants per group (two FGDs at each study site); 40 surveys were administered (20 at each study site). The FGDs were used to further explore personal experiences with navigating health services, the migratory process to the DR, access to SRH services, state of health and mood, substance abuse, violence, educational level, and knowledge of HIV/STI transmission. Because we could not estimate the population of Venezuelan female sex workers in the DR, a power calculation could not be made; therefore, the sample obtained was based on peer-to-peer invitation at study sites.
