title: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Perceived Source of Infection Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women (TW) Recently Diagnosed with HIV and/or STI in Lima, Peru.
abstract: Risk perception and health behaviors result from individual-level factors influenced by specific partnership contexts. We explored individual- and partner-level factors associated with partner-specific perceptions of HIV/STI risk among 372 HIV/STI-positive MSM and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. Generalized estimating equations explored participants' perception of their three most recent partner(s) as a likely source of their HIV/STI diagnosis. Homosexual/gay (PR = 2.07; 95 % CI 1.19-3.61) or transgender (PR = 2.84; 95 % CI 1.48-5.44) partners were more likely to be considered a source of infection than heterosexual partners. Compared to heterosexual respondents, gay and TW respondents were less likely to associate their partner with HIV/STI infection, suggesting a cultural link between gay or TW identity and perceived HIV/STI risk. Our findings demonstrate a need for health promotion messages tailored to high-risk MSM partnerships addressing how perceived HIV/STI risk aligns or conflicts with actual transmission risks in sexual partnerships and networks.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Program in Global Health, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Leconte Avenue, CHS 37-121, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. cherieblair@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Cheríe S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Program in Global Health, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Leconte Avenue, CHS 37-121, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Eddy R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Program in Global Health, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Leconte Avenue, CHS 37-121, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.|Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Amaya G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Perez-Brumer
authors.affiliation: Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Javier R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lama
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Program in Global Health, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Leconte Avenue, CHS 37-121, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV; MSM; Perceived risk; STI; Transgender