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. 2015 Aug;105(8):1588-95.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302307. Epub 2015 Jan 20.

HIV Prevalence and Awareness of Positive Serostatus Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women in Bogotá, Colombia

Maria Cecilia Zea  1 , Carol A Reisen  1 , Ana María del Río-González  1 , Fernanda T Bianchi  1 , Jesus Ramirez-Valles  1 , Paul J Poppen  1
Affiliations

HIV Prevalence and Awareness of Positive Serostatus Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women in Bogotá, Colombia

Maria Cecilia Zea et al. Am J Public Health. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: We estimated HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women in Bogotá, Colombia, and explored differences between HIV-positive individuals who are aware and unaware of their serostatus.

Methods: In this cross-sectional 2011 study, we used respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to recruit 1000 MSM and transgender women, who completed a computerized questionnaire and received an HIV test.

Results: The RDS-adjusted prevalence was 12.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.7, 15.8), comparable to a previous RDS-derived estimate. Among HIV-positive participants, 39.7% (95% CI = 25.0, 54.8) were aware of their serostatus and 60.3% (95% CI = 45.2, 75.5) were unaware before this study. HIV-positive-unaware individuals were more likely to report inadequate insurance coverage, exchange sex (i.e., sexual intercourse in exchange for money, goods, or services), and substance use than other participants. HIV-positive-aware participants were least likely to have had condomless anal intercourse in the previous 3 months. Regardless of awareness, HIV-positive participants reported more violence and forced relocation experiences than HIV-negative participants.

Conclusions: There is an urgent need to increase HIV detection among MSM and transgender women in Bogotá. HIV-positive-unaware group characteristics suggest an important role for structural, social, and individual interventions.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Recruitment chains for the 4 seeds in respondent-driven sampling of men who have sex with men and transgender women: Bogotá, Colombia, 2011.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
HIV status of recruited participants by serostatus of the recruiter in respondent-driven sampling of men who have sex with men and transgender women: Bogotá, Colombia, 2011.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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