Syndemic Theory and HIV-Related Risk Among Young Transgender Women

The Role of Multiple, Co-Occurring Health Problems and Social Marginalization

Bibliographic Data

ID11033950
AuthorsJulia Brennan (0000-0003-4719-4888, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Lisa M Kuhns (0000-0001-8294-7801, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Amy K Johnson (0000-0002-4247-455X, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Marvin Belzer (0000-0002-8870-9326, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Erin C Wilson (0000-0002-0237-495X, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Reebee Garofalo (0000-0001-9513-9416, Julia Brennan, Lisa M. Kuhns, Amy K. Johnson, and Robert Garofalo are with Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL. Marvin Belzer is with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. Erin C. Wilson is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco.), Robert Garofalo
Year2012
Volume102
Issue9
Pages1751-1757
Publication date2012-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2011.300433
PMID22873480
PMCIDPMC3416048
OpenAlexW2115325589
LanguageEN
Citations received143
References cited28

Objectives. We assessed whether multiple psychosocial factors are additive in their relationship to sexual risk behavior and self-reported HIV status (i.e., can be characterized as a syndemic) among young transgender women and the relationship of indicators of social marginalization to psychosocial factors. Methods. Participants (n = 151) were aged 15 to 24 years and lived in Chicago or Los Angeles. We collected data on psychosocial factors (low self-esteem, polysubstance use, victimization related to transgender identity, and intimate partner violence) and social marginalization indicators (history of commercial sex work, homelessness, and incarceration) through an interviewer-administered survey. Results. Syndemic factors were positively and additively related to sexual risk behavior and self-reported HIV infection. In addition, our syndemic index was significantly related to 2 indicators of social marginalization: a history of sex work and previous incarceration. Conclusions. These findings provide evidence for a syndemic of co-occurring psychosocial and health problems in young transgender women, taking place in a context of social marginalization

Domestic violence · Environmental health · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Poison control · Polysubstance dependence · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Public health · Sex work · Substance use · Suicide prevention · Syndemic · Transgender · Clinical Psychology · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology

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