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Tooru Nemoto, PhD1, Don Operario, PhD2, JoAnne Keatley, MSW3, Eiko Sugano4, and Hongmai T. Nguyen, BA2. (1) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of Califonia, San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery St., Suite #250, San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-597-9391, tnemoto@psg.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94105, (3) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 1145 Bush Street, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94109, (4) School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 140 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
Issues: The Male-to-Female (MTF) transgender community has one of the highest HIV incidence and substance use prevalence rates. The Transgender Resources and Neighborhood Space (TRANS), has been providing workshops addressing HIV risk reduction, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health, and hormone use and health promotion in collaboration with members from transgender communities.
Description: The TRANS health intervention used structured group educational workshops addressing three principle domains, developed specific to the risk behaviors and social context of MTF transgenders: 1) sex, relationships, and health; 2) substance use and coping skills; 3) everyday life needs. Workshops were facilitated by transgender health educators and were offered in both English and Spanish. Participants were recruited through street outreach and referrals from collaborating organizations.
Lessons learned: Significant reductions in participants’ levels of sexual risk behaviors during the past 30 days (e.g., receptive anal sex), perceived barriers to substance abuse treatment programs, and depression were found. Marginal reductions in unprotected receptive anal sex and alcohol use during the past 30 days were also found. No significant changes in illicit drug use, HIV knowledge, self-esteem and transgender community involvement were shown.
Recommendations: Future HIV/AIDS prevention intervention programs for MTF transgenders must address mental health and substance use issues in relation to health promotion. To facilitate success in other areas, health service providers and researchers must join forces with transgender community advocates to assess the community’s needs, define priorities for health intervention, and develop locally tailored programs.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Vulnerable Populations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.