1. Gender identity and HIV risk among men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Author
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Jobson G, Tucker A, de Swardt G, Rebe K, Struthers H, McIntyre J, and Peters R
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, HIV Infections prevention & control, HIV Infections therapy, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Prevalence, Risk Factors, South Africa epidemiology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Transgender Persons, Young Adult, Gender Identity, HIV Infections epidemiology, Homosexuality, Male
- Abstract
Gender identity plays a potentially important role contributing to HIV risk among MSM in South Africa. Where studies have included a focus on gender identity, MSM reporting gender non-conformity have been found to have a higher risk of being HIV positive than other MSM. This article examines HIV risk among gender non-conforming MSM in a sample of 316 MSM in Cape Town, South Africa. Reporting gender non-conformity was associated with higher HIV prevalence and increased HIV risk behaviour. Gender non-conformity was also associated with a higher likelihood of being unemployed and reporting low household incomes. These findings highlight the importance of gender-identity as a factor affecting access to HIV treatment, care, and prevention in South Africa and this is an issue that needs to be addressed in interventions targeting MSM populations.
- Published
- 2018
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