Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Experiences of Female Sex Workers Using Contraceptive Methods: a qualitative study in 
Kenya  
 
Version: 1 Date: 19 Oct 2017  
 
Reviewer: Caren Frost  
 
Reviewer's report:  
This article points out needed considerations when examining pertussis infection in mothers and 
infants.  Overall, it is a good article, but there are some points of clarificatio n needed.  
 
1.  Where there any demographic data collected about the participants?  If so, please provide 
them.  If not, please state why they were not collected.  
2.  What do the FSWs know about contraception?  Were there any questions asking about their 
baseline of knowledge?  The participants seem to have some knowledge about contraception, but 
it is not clear how much and which FSWs have that knowledge.  
3.  Please use FSWs consistently.  Use FSWs instead of writing the term out.  
4.  Data is a plural word --make sure that the verbs agree and are for plural nouns.  
5.  Why are the data 10 years old?  Could there be an update to the study?  What has changed 
since 2008?  
6.  What is SRH?  
7.  Under the results section, there should be an introductory paragraph abo ut what comes next.  
What does R2, R3, etc. mean?   
8.  Make sure that there are quotes from number of different participants.  There appear to be a 
high number from R2, R3, etc.  
9.  Are Sigalame and Kunga people's names?  Please remove those.  
10. Have an editor review the results section.  There are a number of grammatical issues in this 
section.  Also check the formatting.  
11.  On page 9, the quote from R4 states (leaning backwards, legs outstretched).  Why is this 
important?  
12.  On page 10, the final p aragraph and quotes are unclear.  What is the point of this 
information?  
13.  Finally, in the conclusion section why is there a sudden discussion of providers?  What 
providers?  What is the overall point of the information collected?  Is it about the needs of 
FSWs?  Is it about health care providers and the need to develop educ ational outreach?  This 
section needs to be seriously fleshed out.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
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.  
No 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an addition al statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I recommend additional statistical review  
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 ga in 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 f uture?  
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 for 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 agre e to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website alo ng 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 repo rt 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