Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: BURDEN AND CORRELATES OF MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES AMONG SEX  
WORKERS IN AN URBAN SETTING  
 
Version: 0 Date: 24 Feb 2017  
 
Reviewer: Jennifer Beard  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is a very well -written article and will be an im portant contribution to the literature on sex 
worker health and mental health among key populations. Most of my suggestions are editorial or 
stylistic and are marked in the attached using the notes function in Adobe. The only big 
suggestion I have is repla cing explanation in methods focused on HIV and STI testing with an 
explanation of the mental health questions used, did you use standardized or validated questions, 
etc? Then in the analysis section, I suggest cutting the long parapgraph where you talk abo ut 
coding social determinants since you don't clearly tie any of that to MH. I imagine that you may 
have provided these longer explanations in other papers from the study so it would be better to 
simply cite those papers for full methodology of overall stu dy. I answered "no" to the question 
about appropriate methods because you need to explain how you collected the mh data.  
 
 
 
I do have two other language suggestions, but I leave these to you your discretion. First, the term 
"women sex workers" is very awkwa rd because "women" is not an adjective. I understand that 
you are striving to be inclusive of trans -women who would not fall under the category of "female 
sex worker", but there has to be a better way to say this. Maybe "women in sex work"? It adds an 
extra word, but seems worth it from a grammar and flow perspective.  Second, you are going out 
of your way to avoid the term "mental illness" by using contorted compound terms like "mental 
health illness" and "mental health issues". Again, I understand the imp ulse is to avoid the term 
"mental illness," which is seen by some as stigmatizing. But neither of the alternatives makes 
much sense. "Mental health illness" is an oxymoron, and "mental health issue" is hopelessly 
vague. Consider replacing with "mental illn ess," or (if that is too unpalatable) replacing with 
specific terms: depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc.  
 
 
 
Aside from these small points, I very much enjoyed this paper and look forward to seeing it in 
print.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to a ssess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this  manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied f or patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the a uthors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer  review policy of the journal