Clinical and Behavioral Outcomes for Transgender Women Engaged in HIV Care: Comparisons to Cisgender Men and Women in the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) Cohort

AIDS Behav. 2023 Jul;27(7):2113-2130. doi: 10.1007/s10461-022-03947-4. Epub 2023 Jan 6.

Abstract

Describe health of transgender women (TW) with HIV vs. cisgender men and women (CM, CW) in a U.S. HIV care cohort. Data were from Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS), 2005-2022. TW were identified using clinical data/identity measures. PWH (n = 1285) were included in analyses (275 TW, 547 CM, 463 CW). Cross-sectional multivariable analyses compared HIV outcomes/co-morbidities between TW/CM and TW/CW, and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. TW had poorer adherence (> 90% adherent; aOR 0.57; 95%CI 0.38, 0.87) and were more likely to miss ≥ 3 visits in the past year than CM (aOR 1.50, 95%CI 1.06, 2.10); indicated more anxiety compared to both CM and CW (p ≤ 0.001, p = 0.02); hepatitis C infection (p = 0.03) and past-year/lifetime substance treatment (p = 0.004/p = 0.001) compared to CM; and substance use relative to CW. TW with HIV differed in HIV clinical outcomes and co-morbidities from CM and CW.

Keywords: HIV; Transgender women; Viral suppression.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • HIV Infections* / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Transgender Persons*
  • Transsexualism* / epidemiology