Stigma in a Collectivistic Culture: Social Network of Female Sex Workers in China

In this egocentric network study, we explored Chinese collectivism in relation to social network characteristics and sex work-related stigma among mid-age female sex workers (FSWs). Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 1245 mid-age FSWs from three cities in China. We found that a one stand...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIDS and behavior Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 297 - 309
Main Authors: Li, Yuruo, Slopen, Natalie, Sweet, Tracy, Nguyen, Quynh, Beck, Kenneth, Liu, Hongjie
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2022
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
China
Collectivism
Cultural groups
Culture
Female
Females
Group identity
Health behavior
Health Psychology
HIV
HIV Infections - prevention & control
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Infectious Diseases
Job characteristics
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Original Paper
Prostitution
Public Health
Sampling
Sex industry
Sex Work
Sex Workers
Social interactions
Social Networking
Social networks
Social organization
Social Stigma
Social support
Stigma
Womens health
Work
Working women
China
Female sex workers
HIV
China
Collectivism
Network
ISSN:1090-7165, 1573-3254, 1573-3254
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In this egocentric network study, we explored Chinese collectivism in relation to social network characteristics and sex work-related stigma among mid-age female sex workers (FSWs). Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 1245 mid-age FSWs from three cities in China. We found that a one standard deviation (SD) increase in FSWs’ collectivism was associated with a 0.18 SD decrease in social support (95% CI − 0.32, − 0.04), a 0.20 SD decrease in network effective size (i.e., the diversity of a social network; 95% CI − 0.30, − 0.10), and a 0.21 SD decrease in network betweenness (i.e., the “bridging potential” of egos within their networks; 95% CI − 0.33, − 0.09). Among participants who perceived more sex work stigma, the association between collectivism and FSWs' network betweenness was attenuated. In a collective culture emphasizing group values and honor, belonging to a less interconnected social network may give FSWs a structural advantage to cope with stigma and secure social support.
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ISSN:1090-7165
1573-3254
1573-3254
DOI:10.1007/s10461-021-03383-w