Open AccessAntiretroviral Treatment Interruptions Among Black and Latina Transgender Women Living with HIV: Characterizing Co-occurring, Multilevel Factors Using the Gender Affirmation Framework
Author(s) -
Joseph G. Rosen,
Mannat Malik,
Erin E. Cooney,
Andrea L. Wirtz,
Thespina J. Yamanis,
Maren Lujan,
Christopher Can,
David Hardy,
Tonia Poteat
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
aids and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.994
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1573-3254
pISSN - 1090-7165
DOI - 10.1007/s10461-019-02581-x
Subject(s) - health psychology , transgender women , medicine , transgender , logistic regression , public health , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , gerontology , multilevel model , demography , family medicine , clinical psychology , environmental health , psychology , men who have sex with men , syphilis , nursing , machine learning , sociology , computer science , psychoanalysis
Black and Latina transgender women (BLTW) are disproportionately impacted by HIV but remain underrepresented in HIV and health services research. Between March 2016 and May 2017, BLTW (N = 201) were recruited in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, DC through convenience sampling for a survey assessing multilevel determinants of HIV risk and treatment outcomes. Interviews concluded with a rapid oral HIV test. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed to identify gender affirmation-related correlates of self-reported HIV treatment interruptions (HIVTIs) among BLTW living with HIV who had initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) (n = 96). Among them, 57.3% (n = 55) reported at least one HIVTI. Unmet surgical needs (aOR = 1.6), past-year marijuana use (aOR = 14.6), and no current hormone use (aOR = 24.9) were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with HIVTIs in multivariable analysis. Unmet need for gender affirmation may inhibit ART adherence, highlighting opportunities to mitigate care interruptions in alignment with community needs and goals.