The findings were compared to a survey of street based sex workers undertaken three-years-ago and showed that both sets of women had differing needs.

Researchers said tailored health care was needed for both groups.

Dr Nikki Jeal of the School of Medicine in Cardiff said the study showed there was "striking differences in the health needs of parlour-based prostitutes when compared with street-based prostitutes."

This, she said, had implications for the content and delivery of health services.

We would like to see services being made independent of the criminal justice system

Sara Walker, English Collective of Prostitutes

"This group of women have high health risks but this new research demonstrates that women selling sex are not all the same, and have different health needs according to their working environment," she said.

"Those in massage parlours require more specialist sexual health care while women working on the street require a broad range of services that also address much wider health and living needs.

"Development of effective services requires good evidence rather than good intentions, otherwise money will be wasted and the needs of vulnerable women will continue to be unmet," she added.

Sara Walker, a spokeswoman for the English Collective Of Prostitutes, said while the report was welcomed, there was "a missing piece".

Second class citizens

"Women are criminalised and hounded," she said.

She said that many women were in need of certain health care provisions but because they were criminalised, were often looked as "second class citizens who didn't deserve health care".

The group are forming a coalition called Safety First which they hope will emulate a similar system in New Zealand where prostitution has been decriminalised.

"In New Zealand, women are more likely to come forward to get services because they are not criminalised," she said.

"We would like to see services being made independent of the criminal justice system," she added.

BBC News - UK