Shruta Rawat
Biographic Data
| ID | 4266474 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Shruta Rawat |
| GIVEN NAMES | Shruta |
| FAMILY NAME | Rawat |
| SIGNATURE | RAWAT S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Humsafar Trust |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9248-0272 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 13 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 19 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Preferences for ART adherence–focused service delivery among transfeminine individuals living with HIV in Mumbai and New Delhi, India
Background Transfeminine individuals in India face disproportionately high HIV prevalence and encounter multilevel barriers to sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. While India’s National AIDS Control Program (NACP) has expanded outreach to transfeminine individuals, few interventions address the intersectional challenges undermining long-term optimal adherence and viral suppression. Methods We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with tr…
Misinformation, Social Media, and Myths About Injectable ART
Effective health communication is vital for engagement in HIV care, especially for transgender women (TGW), who often encounter misinformation. This issue is worsened by lower literacy levels and stigma. Despite efforts like providing free antiretroviral therapy (ART), misinformation persists, and little is known about the specific rumors and misconceptions that influence TGW's engagement with HIV services. This study aims to fill these gaps and …
Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) Awareness and HIV Treatment Optimism Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Mumbai, India
Little is known about Undetectable=Untransmittable (U = U) awareness among MSM in India. We analyzed baseline survey data from MSM (N = 1004) in an mHealth HIV testing trial in Mumbai and Thane, India. We assessed factors associated with U = U awareness and agreement (HIV treatment optimism) using multivariable Poisson regression. U = U awareness (29%) was associated with English survey completion, searching for sexual health information online, …
From policy to practice
Transgender women (TGW) in India face one of the highest HIV prevalence rates among key populations in India, yet data on their engagement in the HIV care cascade is limited. This study investigates barriers and supportive factors for adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is vital for achieving viral suppression, reducing transmission risk to nearly zero (i.e. undetectable = utransmittable; U = U), and enhancing the quality of life for …
Transgender Women in India
The prevalence of HIV among transgender women (TGW) in India is disproportionately high, estimated at 4% to 8% in comparison with the national average of 0.2%. Despite free antiretroviral therapy (ART) provided by the government, TGW encounter multilevel barriers—including stigma, poverty, and lack of gender-affirming care—that hinder HIV care access and retention. Existing behavioral frameworks fail to address the compounded effects of systemic …
Queerness and Mental Health in India
Despite the growing body of research on people disclosing sensitive details about their identities or experiences online, few studies have focused on how individuals with intersecting stigmas manage these disclosures. Those facing multiple, overlapping sources of discrimination may encounter compounded challenges, which can complicate their assessment of the perceived benefits and risks of disclosure. This study seeks to understand disclosure amo…
A scoping review of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people’s health in India
Amid incremental progress in establishing an enabling legal and policy environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified people, and people with intersex variations (LGBTQI+) in India, evidence gaps on LGBTQI+ health are of increasing concern. To that end, we conducted a scoping review to map and synthesize the current evidence base, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a sco…
HIV Testing by Gender Identity Among Sexually Active Transgender-, Intersex-, and Hijra Individuals Reached Online in India
PrEP eligibility, HIV risk perception, and willingness to use PrEP among high-risk men who have sex with men in India
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is not yet included in India’s national AIDS program, with demonstration projects for MSM in planning stages. In order to support PrEP roll-out for MSM, we assessed: (1) associations between guideline-informed PrEP eligibility, HIV risk perception, and perceived PrEP benefits and costs, with willingness to use PrEP (WTUP); and (2) correlates of non-WTUP among PrEP-eligible MSM. Data were collected from MSM (n =…
Affirming and negotiating gender in family and social spaces
17 participants) and 10 in-depth interviews with transmasculine people in Mumbai and Chennai. Data analyses were guided by minority stress theory and the gender affirmation model. Within family, the pressure to conform to assigned gender roles and gender policing usually began in adolescence and increased over time. Some participants left parental homes due to violence. In educational settings, participants described the enforcement of gender-nor…
Someone Else Is Behind The Screen
Queer people increasingly use geosocial networking apps (GSNAs), such as Grindr and Blued, to find connections. These apps play a particularly important role in countries such as India, where being visibly queer can carry social stigma, and same-sex intercourse was criminalized until 2018. A key challenge on these apps is self-disclosing enough information to appear authentic and build trust with other users, without drawing unwanted attention, s…
Willingness to Use Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Preferences Among Men Who have Sex with Men in Mumbai and Chennai, India
Alcohol and Drug Use Surrounding Sex Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in India
Layers of Marginality
Some social technologies can reduce marginality by enabling access to individuals and resources through increased visibility and opportunities for social connection, but visibility carries risks that may be outsized for some marginalized populations. This article reports on a study of location-based social apps (LBSA) used by men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mumbai, India, a legally and socially marginalized population. LBSAs, which facilitate …
A randomized clinical efficacy trial of a psychosocial intervention to strengthen self-acceptance and reduce HIV risk for MSM in India
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02556294 , registered 22 September 2015
Social support relationships for sexual minority women in Mumbai, India
Little research exists on women who do not identify as heterosexual in India. Social support for sexual minority women may protect against the effects of discrimination. An examination of significant social relationships may point to both strengths and weaknesses in this support. We aimed to understand relationship prioritisation and communication patterns associated with the social support of sexual minority women in Mumbai. In partnership with …
Sexual identity and behavior in an online sample of Indian men who have sex with men
Indian men who have sex with men are disproportionately impacted by HIV. While prevention efforts to date have focused on men who visit drop-in centers or physical cruising sites, little is known about men who are meeting sexual partners on virtual platforms. This paper explores issues related to sexual identity and sexual behaviors in an online sample of men who identified as gay (n = 279) or bisexual (n = 123). There were significant difference…
Recruitment Strategies of Indian Men Who Have Sex with Men in the State of Maharashtra Into an Online Survey
In this manuscript, we report lessons learned from our efforts to recruit Indian men and transgender women/hijras who have sex with men into an online cross sectional study. Between September 2013 and May 2014, we implemented a seven-phased recruitment strategy that included the use of online and offline strategies to enroll a total of 449 participants into an online survey about recent sexual behavior and various psychosocial measures. The phase…
Harassment and Violence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Hijras After Reinstatement of India’s “Sodomy Law”
Someone Else Is Behind The Screen
Queer people increasingly use geosocial networking apps (GSNAs), such as Grindr and Blued, to find connections. These apps play a particularly important role in countries such as India, where being visibly queer can carry social stigma, and same-sex intercourse was criminalized until 2018. A key challenge on these apps is self-disclosing enough information to appear authentic and build trust with other users, without drawing unwanted attention, s…
Layers of Marginality
Some social technologies can reduce marginality by enabling access to individuals and resources through increased visibility and opportunities for social connection, but visibility carries risks that may be outsized for some marginalized populations. This article reports on a study of location-based social apps (LBSA) used by men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mumbai, India, a legally and socially marginalized population. LBSAs, which facilitate …
Harassment and Violence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Hijras After Reinstatement of India’s “Sodomy Law”
Queerness and Mental Health in India
Despite the growing body of research on people disclosing sensitive details about their identities or experiences online, few studies have focused on how individuals with intersecting stigmas manage these disclosures. Those facing multiple, overlapping sources of discrimination may encounter compounded challenges, which can complicate their assessment of the perceived benefits and risks of disclosure. This study seeks to understand disclosure amo…
Recruitment Strategies of Indian Men Who Have Sex with Men in the State of Maharashtra Into an Online Survey
In this manuscript, we report lessons learned from our efforts to recruit Indian men and transgender women/hijras who have sex with men into an online cross sectional study. Between September 2013 and May 2014, we implemented a seven-phased recruitment strategy that included the use of online and offline strategies to enroll a total of 449 participants into an online survey about recent sexual behavior and various psychosocial measures. The phase…
Harassment and Violence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Hijras After Reinstatement of India’s “Sodomy Law”
Sexual identity and behavior in an online sample of Indian men who have sex with men
Indian men who have sex with men are disproportionately impacted by HIV. While prevention efforts to date have focused on men who visit drop-in centers or physical cruising sites, little is known about men who are meeting sexual partners on virtual platforms. This paper explores issues related to sexual identity and sexual behaviors in an online sample of men who identified as gay (n = 279) or bisexual (n = 123). There were significant difference…
A randomized clinical efficacy trial of a psychosocial intervention to strengthen self-acceptance and reduce HIV risk for MSM in India
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02556294 , registered 22 September 2015
Social support relationships for sexual minority women in Mumbai, India
Little research exists on women who do not identify as heterosexual in India. Social support for sexual minority women may protect against the effects of discrimination. An examination of significant social relationships may point to both strengths and weaknesses in this support. We aimed to understand relationship prioritisation and communication patterns associated with the social support of sexual minority women in Mumbai. In partnership with …
Layers of Marginality
Some social technologies can reduce marginality by enabling access to individuals and resources through increased visibility and opportunities for social connection, but visibility carries risks that may be outsized for some marginalized populations. This article reports on a study of location-based social apps (LBSA) used by men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mumbai, India, a legally and socially marginalized population. LBSAs, which facilitate …
Willingness to Use Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Preferences Among Men Who have Sex with Men in Mumbai and Chennai, India
Alcohol and Drug Use Surrounding Sex Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in India
PrEP eligibility, HIV risk perception, and willingness to use PrEP among high-risk men who have sex with men in India
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is not yet included in India’s national AIDS program, with demonstration projects for MSM in planning stages. In order to support PrEP roll-out for MSM, we assessed: (1) associations between guideline-informed PrEP eligibility, HIV risk perception, and perceived PrEP benefits and costs, with willingness to use PrEP (WTUP); and (2) correlates of non-WTUP among PrEP-eligible MSM. Data were collected from MSM (n =…
Affirming and negotiating gender in family and social spaces
17 participants) and 10 in-depth interviews with transmasculine people in Mumbai and Chennai. Data analyses were guided by minority stress theory and the gender affirmation model. Within family, the pressure to conform to assigned gender roles and gender policing usually began in adolescence and increased over time. Some participants left parental homes due to violence. In educational settings, participants described the enforcement of gender-nor…
Someone Else Is Behind The Screen
Queer people increasingly use geosocial networking apps (GSNAs), such as Grindr and Blued, to find connections. These apps play a particularly important role in countries such as India, where being visibly queer can carry social stigma, and same-sex intercourse was criminalized until 2018. A key challenge on these apps is self-disclosing enough information to appear authentic and build trust with other users, without drawing unwanted attention, s…
A scoping review of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people’s health in India
Amid incremental progress in establishing an enabling legal and policy environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified people, and people with intersex variations (LGBTQI+) in India, evidence gaps on LGBTQI+ health are of increasing concern. To that end, we conducted a scoping review to map and synthesize the current evidence base, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a sco…
HIV Testing by Gender Identity Among Sexually Active Transgender-, Intersex-, and Hijra Individuals Reached Online in India
Queerness and Mental Health in India
Despite the growing body of research on people disclosing sensitive details about their identities or experiences online, few studies have focused on how individuals with intersecting stigmas manage these disclosures. Those facing multiple, overlapping sources of discrimination may encounter compounded challenges, which can complicate their assessment of the perceived benefits and risks of disclosure. This study seeks to understand disclosure amo…
From policy to practice
Transgender women (TGW) in India face one of the highest HIV prevalence rates among key populations in India, yet data on their engagement in the HIV care cascade is limited. This study investigates barriers and supportive factors for adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is vital for achieving viral suppression, reducing transmission risk to nearly zero (i.e. undetectable = utransmittable; U = U), and enhancing the quality of life for …
Transgender Women in India
The prevalence of HIV among transgender women (TGW) in India is disproportionately high, estimated at 4% to 8% in comparison with the national average of 0.2%. Despite free antiretroviral therapy (ART) provided by the government, TGW encounter multilevel barriers—including stigma, poverty, and lack of gender-affirming care—that hinder HIV care access and retention. Existing behavioral frameworks fail to address the compounded effects of systemic …
Preferences for ART adherence–focused service delivery among transfeminine individuals living with HIV in Mumbai and New Delhi, India
Background Transfeminine individuals in India face disproportionately high HIV prevalence and encounter multilevel barriers to sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. While India’s National AIDS Control Program (NACP) has expanded outreach to transfeminine individuals, few interventions address the intersectional challenges undermining long-term optimal adherence and viral suppression. Methods We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with tr…
Misinformation, Social Media, and Myths About Injectable ART
Effective health communication is vital for engagement in HIV care, especially for transgender women (TGW), who often encounter misinformation. This issue is worsened by lower literacy levels and stigma. Despite efforts like providing free antiretroviral therapy (ART), misinformation persists, and little is known about the specific rumors and misconceptions that influence TGW's engagement with HIV services. This study aims to fill these gaps and …
Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) Awareness and HIV Treatment Optimism Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Mumbai, India
Little is known about Undetectable=Untransmittable (U = U) awareness among MSM in India. We analyzed baseline survey data from MSM (N = 1004) in an mHealth HIV testing trial in Mumbai and Thane, India. We assessed factors associated with U = U awareness and agreement (HIV treatment optimism) using multivariable Poisson regression. U = U awareness (29%) was associated with English survey completion, searching for sexual health information online, …
HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (14 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Men who have sex with men (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Family medicine (10 works) · Gender Studies (10 works) · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy (9 works) · Demography (7 works) · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV (7 works)