Identifying and Characterizing Trans Women in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study as an Epidemiologically Distinct Risk Group-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Identifying and Characterizing Trans Women in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study as an Epidemiologically Distinct Risk Group

Published:2021-07-20 Issue: Volume: Page:
ISSN:1058-4838
Container-title:Clinical Infectious Diseases
language:en
Short-container-title:

Author:

Nguyen Huyen¹²^ORCID,Hampel Benjamin¹³,Garcia Nuñez David⁴,Battegay Manuel⁵,Hachfeld Anna⁶,Bernasconi Enos⁷,Calmy Alexandra⁸,Cavassini Matthias⁹^ORCID,Vernazza Pietro¹⁰,Fellay Jacques¹¹,Rudolph Hannes¹²,Huber Michael²,Leuzinger Karoline¹³,Perreau Matthieu¹⁴,Scherrer Alexandra¹,Ramette Alban Nicolas⁶,Yerly Sabine⁸,Günthard Huldrych F¹²,Kouyos Roger D¹²,Kusejko Katharina¹²^ORCID,Anagnostopoulos A,Battegay M,Bernasconi E,Böni J,Braun D L,Bucher H C,Calmy A,Cavassini M,Ciuffi A,Dollenmaier G,Egger M,Elzi L,Fehr J,Fellay J,Furrer H,Fuc C A,Günthard H F,Haerry D,Hasse B,Hirsch H H,Hoffmann M,Hösli I,Huber M,Kahlert C,Kaiser L,Keiser O,Klimkait T,Kouyos R D,Kovari H,Ledergerber B,Martinetti G,Martinez de Tejada B,Marzolini C,Metzner K J,Müller N,Nicca D,Paioni P,Pantaleo G,Perreau M,Rauch A,Rudin C,Kusejko K,Schmid P,Speck R,Stöckle M,Tarr P,Trkola A,Vernazza P,Wandeler G,Weber R,Yerly S,

Affiliation:

1. Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

2. Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

3. Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

4. Centre for Gender Variance, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

5. Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

6. Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

7. Division of Infectious Diseases, Regional Hospital Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland

8. Laboratory of Virology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

9. Division of Infectious Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

10. Division of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland

11. School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

12. Transgender Network Switzerland, Checkpoint Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

13. Clinical Virology Division, Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

14. Department of Immunology and Allergy, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Abstract

Abstract Background As trans women are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic, and are still understudied, we aimed to identify and characterize the trans women in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). Methods A combination of criteria from pre-existing cohort data was used to identify trans women. Information on socioeconomic factors, clinical data, risk behaviors, and mental health was collected. We also described their phylogenetic patterns within HIV transmission networks in relation to other risk groups. Results We identified 89 trans women of a total 20 925 cohort participants. Trans women were much more likely to be Asian (30.3%) and Hispanic (15.7%) than men who have sex with men (MSM) (2.5% and 4.1%; P < .001) and cis heterosexual (HET) women (7.0% and 3.3%; P < .001). Trans women were more similar to cis HET women in some measures like educational level (postsecondary education attainment: 22.6% and 20.7% [P = .574] vs 46.5% for MSM [P < .001]), while being more similar to MSM for measures like prior syphilis diagnosis (36.0% and 44.0% [P = .170] vs 6.7% for cis HET women [P < .001]). 11.2% of trans women have been previously hospitalized for psychological reasons compared with 4.2% of MSM (P = .004) and 5.1% of cis HET women (P = .025). Analysis of transmission clusters containing trans women suggested greater affinity within the transmission networks to MSM compared with cis HET women. Conclusions Trans women are epidemiologically distinct in the setting of the Swiss HIV epidemic, warranting better identification and study to better serve this underserved risk group.

Funder

Swiss National Science Foundation

Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Yvonne Jacob Foundation

Sexuelle Gesundheit Zurich

Zentrum für Suchtmedizin

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health

National Institutes of Health

Gilead Science

Merck, Sharp and Dohme

ViiV Healthcare

Merck, Sharpe and Dohme