Keywords
Health services accessibility
Barriers to access of health services
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Abstract
Objective: To review female sex workers' access to health services, highlighting the challenges faced and perspectives. Methods: This is an integrative literature review, anchored in the method proposed by Mendes KDS, et al. (2008), conducted between July and August 2024 in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Science Direct, covering the period 2015 to 2024, using the following descriptors: Sex Workers; User Embracement; Health Services. The inclusion criteria were: qualitative and/or quantitative research articles that addressed sex workers' access to health services, published in Portuguese, English, and/or Spanish, between 2015 and 2024. Results: A total of 1,094 articles were found, of which 11 comprised the sample for this study. Among the challenges encountered are: stigma and prejudice during care, lack of specific health policies for sex workers, lack of professional training, structural prejudice, and negligence on the part of physicians in the provision of services. Final considerations: The study demonstrated that several obstacles hinder the health care of sex workers and directly impact their quality of life, necessitating the restructuring of care practices and the creation of public policies.
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