title: HIV prevalence, risk behavior, hormone use and surgical history among transgender persons in Thailand.
abstract: While Male-to-female transgender persons (TG) are believed to often engage in sex work and have high HIV infection risk, little is known about demographics, surgical and hormone use history, risk behaviors and HIV prevalence. Between March and October 2005, 474 TG from Bangkok, Chiangmai, and Phuket were surveyed using venue-day-time sampling. Of 474 participants, overall HIV prevalence was 13.5%. Most participants had completed at least secondary or vocational education (79.2%), gender self-identified as female (89.0%), had received money, gifts or valuables for sex (60.8%), and reported hormone use (88.6%). Surgical history was taken from 325 participants. Of these, 68.6% reported some form of surgery and 11.1% had undergone penile-vaginal reconstructive surgery. In multivariate analysis, being recruited from a park/street; older age, anal sex role identification as "versatile" and anal sex debut before age 13 were independently associated with HIV prevalence. The development, implementation and evaluation of culturally appropriate sexual health interventions for Thai TG is urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Thailand Ministry of Public Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Guadamuz
authors.forename: Wipas
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wimonsate
authors.forename: Anchalee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varangrat
authors.forename: Praphan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phanuphak
authors.forename: Rapeepun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jommaroeng
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McNicholl
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.forename: Jordan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tappero
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van Griensven
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006728:Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011477:Sex Work; D012828:Silicones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D012828:Silicones