Wendy Macias‐Konstantopoulos
Biographic Data
| ID | 6635429 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Wendy Macias‐Konstantopoulos |
| GIVEN NAMES | Wendy |
| FAMILY NAME | Macias‐Konstantopoulos |
| SIGNATURE | KONSTANTOPOULOS W M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5752-2104 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 27 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Deaths of female sex workers and sexually exploited adolescent girls during the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Deaths among sexually exploited adolescent girls (SEAG) and female sex workers (FSW) are under-researched and under-reported. Although excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic has been documented among vulnerable populations, specific data on SEAG and FSW remain scarce. This lack of reliable data limits the ability of sex worker organizations and public health programs to design effective interventions or respond to shifting risks. We applie…
Deaths of Female Sex Workers from HIV/Aids in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2019–2023 and Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence
HIV-related deaths among FSWs in these three sub-Saharan African countries are associated with food insecurity, mental health issues, substance use, and stigma. Improving access to ART alone is insufficient to reduce mortality
Depression and correlates of suicidal thoughts among mothers who are female sex workers in three low- and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Introduction Depression is prevalent among female sex workers (FSW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and poses an elevated risk of suicide. The current study employs the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a means of estimating “probable depression” and exploring correlates of suicidal thoughts in Kenyan, Nigerian, and Congolese mothers who are FSW (MFSW). Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of MF…
Vulnerable exposures and outcomes for children of female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries
Introduction: Children of female sex workers (CFSW) are exposed to unique bioecological vulnerabilities that negatively affect their developmental outcomes. We interviewed 1,280 female sex worker mothers (FSWM) in eight low- and middle-income countries (Angola, Brazil, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria) between January 16 and October 1, 2019. This exploratory study focused on multilayered exposur…
“I’m a really hard stick”
Suffolk County, Massachusetts is an Ending the HIV Epidemic priority area with an ongoing cluster of HIV transmission among people who inject drugs, many of whom accessed care in emergency departments prior to diagnosis but were not offered HIV testing. Emergency-department-based HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation have thus become local public health priorities. We conducted a content analysis of in-depth interviews with 26 peopl…
Causes of preventable death among children of female sex worker mothers in low- and middle-income countries
Background: Female sex workers (FSW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are disproportionately vulnerable to poor health, social, and economic outcomes. The children of female sex workers (CFSW) experience health risks based on these challenging circumstances and the unique conditions to which they are exposed. Although country child mortality data exist, little is known about the causes of death among CFSW specifically, thereby severely …
Access to safer injection equipment among people who inject drugs utilizing medical services in an urban hospital in the United States
Injection drug use carries significant risks for injury and infection, particularly when injection supplies are reused or shared. Syringe service programs and pharmacy nonprescription sale of syringes minimize this risk by promoting access to supplies. This study aimed to characterize how individuals accessing medical care obtain supplies and the impact of perceived barriers to accessing safer injection supplies. One hundred and twenty participan…
Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical–Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) leads to severe sequelae for individuals and communities. Lack of cross-sector coordination inhibits effective medical-legal support and justice for survivors. Multisectoral trainings for health, legal, and law enforcement professionals on survivor-centered SGBV care were conducted in Kenya during 2012-2018. Evaluation utilized objective structured clinical examinations, standardized patients, knowledge ass…
Diagnosis Codes for Human Trafficking Can Help Assess Incidence, Risk Factors, and Comorbid Illness and Injury
The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-10-CM ) is the system used by clinicians and medical coders to document diseases, symptoms, social circumstances, and external causes of illness and injury. ICD-10-CM codes for various forms of abuse and violence perpetrated against children and adults exist and facilitate the study of incidence, social context, and comorbid illness and injury. Extant abuse c…
Caring for the Trafficked Patient
Human trafficking is an egregious human rights violation with profound negative physical and psychological consequences, including communicable diseases, substance use disorders, and mental illnesses. The health needs of this population are multiple, complex, and influenced by past and present experiences of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Effective health care services for trafficked patients require clinicians to consider individual patients'…
An International Comparative Public Health Analysis of Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Eight Cities
Sex trafficking, trafficking for the purpose of forced sexual exploitation, is a widespread form of human trafficking that occurs in all regions of the world, affects mostly women and girls, and has far-reaching health implications. Studies suggest that up to 50 % of sex trafficking victims in the USA seek medical attention while in their trafficking situation, yet it is unclear how the healthcare system responds to the needs of victims of sex tr…
An International Comparative Public Health Analysis of Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Eight Cities
Sex trafficking, trafficking for the purpose of forced sexual exploitation, is a widespread form of human trafficking that occurs in all regions of the world, affects mostly women and girls, and has far-reaching health implications. Studies suggest that up to 50 % of sex trafficking victims in the USA seek medical attention while in their trafficking situation, yet it is unclear how the healthcare system responds to the needs of victims of sex tr…
Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical–Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) leads to severe sequelae for individuals and communities. Lack of cross-sector coordination inhibits effective medical-legal support and justice for survivors. Multisectoral trainings for health, legal, and law enforcement professionals on survivor-centered SGBV care were conducted in Kenya during 2012-2018. Evaluation utilized objective structured clinical examinations, standardized patients, knowledge ass…
An International Comparative Public Health Analysis of Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Eight Cities
Sex trafficking, trafficking for the purpose of forced sexual exploitation, is a widespread form of human trafficking that occurs in all regions of the world, affects mostly women and girls, and has far-reaching health implications. Studies suggest that up to 50 % of sex trafficking victims in the USA seek medical attention while in their trafficking situation, yet it is unclear how the healthcare system responds to the needs of victims of sex tr…
Caring for the Trafficked Patient
Human trafficking is an egregious human rights violation with profound negative physical and psychological consequences, including communicable diseases, substance use disorders, and mental illnesses. The health needs of this population are multiple, complex, and influenced by past and present experiences of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Effective health care services for trafficked patients require clinicians to consider individual patients'…
Diagnosis Codes for Human Trafficking Can Help Assess Incidence, Risk Factors, and Comorbid Illness and Injury
The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-10-CM ) is the system used by clinicians and medical coders to document diseases, symptoms, social circumstances, and external causes of illness and injury. ICD-10-CM codes for various forms of abuse and violence perpetrated against children and adults exist and facilitate the study of incidence, social context, and comorbid illness and injury. Extant abuse c…
Multiyear, Multisectoral Training Program in Kenya to Enhance Medical–Legal Processes in Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) leads to severe sequelae for individuals and communities. Lack of cross-sector coordination inhibits effective medical-legal support and justice for survivors. Multisectoral trainings for health, legal, and law enforcement professionals on survivor-centered SGBV care were conducted in Kenya during 2012-2018. Evaluation utilized objective structured clinical examinations, standardized patients, knowledge ass…
Access to safer injection equipment among people who inject drugs utilizing medical services in an urban hospital in the United States
Injection drug use carries significant risks for injury and infection, particularly when injection supplies are reused or shared. Syringe service programs and pharmacy nonprescription sale of syringes minimize this risk by promoting access to supplies. This study aimed to characterize how individuals accessing medical care obtain supplies and the impact of perceived barriers to accessing safer injection supplies. One hundred and twenty participan…
Causes of preventable death among children of female sex worker mothers in low- and middle-income countries
Background: Female sex workers (FSW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are disproportionately vulnerable to poor health, social, and economic outcomes. The children of female sex workers (CFSW) experience health risks based on these challenging circumstances and the unique conditions to which they are exposed. Although country child mortality data exist, little is known about the causes of death among CFSW specifically, thereby severely …
Depression and correlates of suicidal thoughts among mothers who are female sex workers in three low- and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Introduction Depression is prevalent among female sex workers (FSW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and poses an elevated risk of suicide. The current study employs the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a means of estimating “probable depression” and exploring correlates of suicidal thoughts in Kenyan, Nigerian, and Congolese mothers who are FSW (MFSW). Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of MF…
Vulnerable exposures and outcomes for children of female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries
Introduction: Children of female sex workers (CFSW) are exposed to unique bioecological vulnerabilities that negatively affect their developmental outcomes. We interviewed 1,280 female sex worker mothers (FSWM) in eight low- and middle-income countries (Angola, Brazil, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria) between January 16 and October 1, 2019. This exploratory study focused on multilayered exposur…
“I’m a really hard stick”
Suffolk County, Massachusetts is an Ending the HIV Epidemic priority area with an ongoing cluster of HIV transmission among people who inject drugs, many of whom accessed care in emergency departments prior to diagnosis but were not offered HIV testing. Emergency-department-based HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation have thus become local public health priorities. We conducted a content analysis of in-depth interviews with 26 peopl…
Deaths of female sex workers and sexually exploited adolescent girls during the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Deaths among sexually exploited adolescent girls (SEAG) and female sex workers (FSW) are under-researched and under-reported. Although excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic has been documented among vulnerable populations, specific data on SEAG and FSW remain scarce. This lack of reliable data limits the ability of sex worker organizations and public health programs to design effective interventions or respond to shifting risks. We applie…
Deaths of Female Sex Workers from HIV/Aids in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2019–2023 and Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence
HIV-related deaths among FSWs in these three sub-Saharan African countries are associated with food insecurity, mental health issues, substance use, and stigma. Improving access to ART alone is insufficient to reduce mortality
Sex work and related issues (8 works) · Medicine (7 works) · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk (5 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (4 works) · Psychology (4 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (3 works) · Environmental health (3 works) · Family medicine (3 works) · Female sex (3 works) · Health care (3 works)