• unfreeradical@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    If two effects are correlated, then three possible causal relationships are possible.

    A first effect may cause the second, or the second may cause the first, or a so-called third variable may cause both.

    It is possible that an individual who has been afflicted by certain difficulties is more likely to participate in sex work.

    It is also possible that individuals from certain populations are more likely to participate in sex work, and also, due to being associated with the population, are also more likely to be afflicted by certain difficulties.

    Both possibilities must be considered as alternative to sex work causing such difficulties, to explain the correlation.

    • ParsnipWitch@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      I do know how correlation works. The study above shows that, when you correct for previous mental health issues, for lower socioeconomic status, low income, drug abuse, etc. sex work increases various mental and physical health risks and mortality.

      • unfreeradical@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Right. The remaining possibility is the third variable. Membership in certain populations may be associated with increased likelihood of becoming a sex worker and also of experiencing difficulties that you are suggested are caused directly by being a sex worker. Such difficulties may appear after someone has become a sex worker, even while having an independence cause.

        • ParsnipWitch@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          Sure, but that is true for ever job then. An unknown and hidden confounding factor explaining job choice and the problems of the job can always exist.

          Police officer or fire fighter aren’t actually dangerous. It is simply that people who are more likely to make bad decisions that get them killed also are those that choose to be police officer or fire fighters.

          Burnout does not affect teachers with higher probability than it affects hairdressers. It is because people who get burnouts are also the people who choose to be teachers.

          • unfreeradical@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Sure, but that is true for ever job then. An unknown and hidden confounding factor explaining job choice and the problems of the job can always exist.

            The general principle may apply to any job, but you wanted to study the population of sex workers in particular, and doing so requires collecting and analyzing data, in regard to sex workers, properly and sufficiently, toward a conclusion.

            I only suggested that your conclusion may not be robust if sex work is disproportionately represented by populations that carry broader vulnerabilities to some of the difficulties that you inferred were directly consequences of sex work.