Sexual and reproductive health issues facing Southeast Asian beer promoters: a qualitative pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundIn Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of young rural women migrate from their villages to the larger cities in search of work. Many find employment with beer companies or in the clubs where beer is sold, promoting the sale of beer. Previous research suggests these young migrants are in a highly vulnerable position. This paper will describe the findings of an October 2009 meeting to develop a research agenda on the sexual and reproductive health of beer promoters and a subsequent pilot study of focus groups with beer promoters to review this agenda.MethodsParticipants of the research meeting representing beer promoters, academics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government and the beer industry from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam collaborated in the development of three key research themes. The themes were verified in focus group discussions with beer promoters organized by local research partners in all four countries. The focus group participants were asked what they felt were the key sexual and reproductive health issues facing them in a non-directive and unstructured manner, and then asked to comment more specifically on the research priorities developed at the meeting. The focus groups were recorded digitally, transcribed, and translated into English. The data were analyzed by coding for common themes and then developing matrices to compare themes between groups.ResultsThe participants of the meeting identified three key research themes: occupational health (including harassment and violence, working conditions, and fair pay), gender and social norms (focusing on the impact of power relations between the genders on women's health), and reproductive health (knowledge and access to reproductive health care services). The participants in the focus groups in all four countries agreed that these were key priorities for them, though the emphasis on the most important issues varied between groups of women. Sexual harassment in the workplace and challenges in accessing reproductive health care services because of the barriers of cost, shyness, and stigmatizing attitudes of health care providers were common problems for many of the women.ConclusionsThere is a need for regional research and programming for beer promotion women in Southeast Asia focusing on the three research themes of occupational health, gender norms and reproductive health. Such research and programs could provide important benefits for many beer promotion women who currently face significant risks to their sexual and reproductive health.

Informal workers and access to healthcare: a qualitative study of facilitators and barriers to accessing healthcare for beer promoters in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

“…The beer promoters’ health seeking practices were influenced and are similar to those described by beer promoters elsewhere [ 10 ]. health services supply and demand-side barriers.…”

“…Their exact number is not known, but unofficial estimates suggest that there are 8,000 to 10,000 women working in the bars, beer shops and nightclubs, as beer promoters in Vientiane Capital City [ 10 ]. Beer promoters are differentiated from beer sellers and are employed by both international and national breweries to promote the sales of beer in restaurants and other establishments [ 10 ]. They are predominantly young, female and attractive and often required to wear revealing, branded uniforms of the brewery.…”

“…They are predominantly young, female and attractive and often required to wear revealing, branded uniforms of the brewery. The working conditions of the beer promoters mean that they are vulnerable to harassment and sexual abuse compounded by broader gender and social norms [ 10 ].…”

Migrant Beer Promoters’ Experiences Accessing Reproductive Health Care in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam

“…In our pilot study of rural-to-urban migrant beer promoters in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, we found that women's access to reproductive health care services in their urban settings were limited by health care provider stigma, cost, and availability of services, in addition to personal factors such as lack of time and shyness to access services. 9 Health care provider stigma was often related to the assumption that beer promoters provide sexual services to their clients; similar populations of women seeking reproductive health care services, such as Lao sex workers, also experience stigmatizing attitudes from health care providers. 10 We undertook a study of access to reproductive health care services for internal migrant women who work as beer promoters in the Southeast Asian capitals of Bangkok, Thailand; Hanoi, Vietnam; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Vientiane, Laos.…”

Informal workplaces and their comparative effects on the health of street vendors and home-based garment workers in Yangon, Myanmar: a qualitative study

“…Informal work is also associated with a higher risk of experiencing mental illnesses [12,14]. Similarly, qualitative studies showed that informal workers tend to have poor working conditions, irregular incomes, difficulty accessing health services and are vulnerable to catastrophic health shocks [15][16][17].…”