The effects of a randomized controlled health information campaign on sex workers’ health, labour, and other outcomes in Bangladesh

Lead researchers:

Liang Choon Wang, Monash University, Australia

Russell Smyth, Monash University, Australia

Partners: Monash University, Australia

Timeline: April 2014 to February 2015

Status: Complete

Method: Quantitative

The overview of the project:
Sex workers have much higher HIV infection rates than the general population in Bangladesh because they have misconceptions about how HIV/AIDS is spread, poor knowledge about prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and do not consistently use condoms. The project aims to evaluate whether a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an innovative health information campaign in Bangladesh.

1) improve sex workers’ knowledge about safe sex practices and STIs, as well as their safe sex practices;

2) influence the health and labour market outcomes of sex workers;

3) affect other outcomes of sex workers, such as risk attitudes and other psychometrically valid measures of wellbeing.