title: Sexual HIV risk among gay, bisexual and queer transgender men: findings from interviews in Vancouver, Canada.
abstract: Gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV in Canada. While up to 63% of transgender men identify as gay, bisexual or queer and report a variety of HIV sexual risk behaviours, transgender men are often overlooked within epidemiological HIV surveillance and research. While a growing body of research has begun to examine sexual risk for transgender gay, bisexual and queer men, most studies have been conducted in the USA. This study explored sexual HIV risk for this population in the Canadian context, specifically in British Columbia, in an environment of publically funded universal access to healthcare, including HIV testing and treatment. We conducted interviews with 11 gay, bisexual and queer transgender men. Participants' narratives suggest that HIV risk for these transgender men is shaped by a diversity of sexual behaviours, including inconsistent condom use, seeking partners online for greater safety and accessing HIV/STI testing and other healthcare services despite facing transition-related barriers. Public health prevention and health education must recognise the presence of transgender men and ensure health services and broader population health promotion meet the unique sexual health needs of this sub-population of gay, bisexual and queer men.
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Ashleigh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.affiliation: b Momentum Health Study Team , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , Canada.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: b Momentum Health Study Team , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Everett
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.|d Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lachowsky
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Zishan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sereda
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.|d Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: a Epidemiology & Public Health Program , BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS , Vancouver , Canada.|c Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , Canada.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.affiliation: e Department of Anthropology , University of Victoria , Victoria , Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001955:British Columbia; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000073599:Health Risk Behaviors; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities
keywords: Canada; HIV; Transgender; gay men; sexual risk; trans men