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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus | Research

Association between in-country migration and HIV infection among transgender women from northeastern Brazil: a respondent-driven sampling survey

Authors: Beo Oliveira Leite, Laio Magno, Francisco Inacio Bastos, Ines Dourado

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Migration is common among transgender women (TGW), often driven by the desire to escape stigma, find acceptance, establish new connections, access body modifications, or enter new avenues of sex work. Given the heightened mobility of TGW, they are mostly vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to migration. This study aimed to evaluate the association between in-country migration and HIV infection among TGW in Northeast Brazil.

Methods

The DIVAS was a cross-sectional, multicity study investigating risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among TGW in 2016–2017. A total of 864 TGW were recruited through respondent-driven sampling from three capital cities in Northeast Brazil. Logistic regression estimating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to assess the relationship between in-country migration and HIV infection.

Results

The prevalence of HIV among TGW was 24.5%, 21.4% among those aged 18–34 and 36.1% among those ≥ 35 years old. In-country migration increased the odds of HIV infection among TGW aged 18–34 years (OR = 1.84; 95%CI:1.04–3.27) and even higher among those aged ≥ 35y old (OR = 3.08; 95%CI:1.18–8.04).

Conclusions

These data reinforce the pressing need for public health policies that provide comprehensive access and strategies for demand creation for HIV/AIDS prevention and care for TGW who are already highly vulnerable to infection.
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Metadata
Title
Association between in-country migration and HIV infection among transgender women from northeastern Brazil: a respondent-driven sampling survey
Authors
Beo Oliveira Leite
Laio Magno
Francisco Inacio Bastos
Ines Dourado
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-17956-6

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