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Mining, sex work and STIs: why force a connection?

  • John Scott
  • , Victor Minichiello

Research output: Contribution to specialist publicationArticle

Abstract

Can the mining boom be blamed for the rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in some states? The Australian Medical Association thinks so, with its Queensland president Dr Richard Kidd attributing rising rates of gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia in Queensland and Western Australia to bored and cashed-up miners. Kidd is not an isolated voice. Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg recently blamed sex workers operating in mining regions for the doubling of HIV diagnoses in Queensland - from 2.7 per 100,000 population in 2001 to 5.4 in 2010. These claims have been disputed by sex industry advocates who say commentators have got it wrong. Fly in fly out (FIFO) sex workers aren't contributing to the problem - they're part of the solution. So who should you believe: the medical professionals and politicians or the sex worker advocates?
Original languageEnglish
No.8 August 2012
Specialist publicationThe Conversation
Publication statusPublished - 2012

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Health Promotion
  • Epidemiology

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