title: Transgender female youth and sex work: HIV risk and a comparison of life factors related to engagement in sex work.
abstract: This study examined the HIV risk behaviors and life experiences of 151 transgender female youth, ages 15-24, in Los Angeles and Chicago. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression modeling were used to identify life factors associated with ever having engaged in sex work. Sixty-seven percent of participants had ever engaged in sex work and 19% self-reported being HIV positive. Many factors were significantly associated with sex work for this sample population. A final multivariate logistic regression model found that lower education status, homelessness, use of street drugs, and perceived social support remained significantly associated with sex work when controlling for other factors. Findings highlight the complex HIV risk environment and suggest a need for sex work initiation research for transgender female youth. HIV prevention efforts for this population need to include broad-based approaches that take into account individual, social, and community-level factors relevant to the lives of transgender female youth.
authors.affiliation: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, AIDS Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. erin.wilson@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Erin C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Marvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D011477:Sex Work / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014189:Transsexualism; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult