Stigma, social cohesion, and mental health among transgender women sex workers living with HIV in the Dominican Republic

Bibliographic Data

ID17827670
AuthorsTamar Goldenberg (0000-0003-3998-2913, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, corresponding author), Deanna Kerrigan (0000-0001-7401-9159, George Washington University), Hoisex Gomez (Instituto Dermatológico y Cirugía de Piel "Dr. Huberto Bogaert Díaz"), Martha Pérez (Instituto Dermatológico y Cirugía de Piel "Dr. Huberto Bogaert Díaz"), Yeycy Donastorg (0000-0002-0556-0133, Instituto Dermatológico y Cirugía de Piel "Dr. Huberto Bogaert Díaz"), Clare Barrington (0000-0001-7802-4051, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Year2021
Volume6
Issue4
Pages467-475
Publication date2021-09-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueStigma and Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2376-6964 • E-ISSN: 2376-6972
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/sah0000337
PMID36910276
OpenAlexW3199214850
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited32

Globally, transgender (trans) women experience pervasive stigma, which contributes to health inequities across multiple mental health outcomes. While trans stigma has been associated with increased mental health challenges, less is known about how stigma related to sex work and HIV affect mental health. Social cohesion may ameliorate the negative health consequences of stigma, but little is known about how social cohesion is associated with mental health among trans women. Using cross-sectional survey data collected in 2019 among 100 trans women sex workers living with HIV in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, we examined associations between stigma (related to HIV, sex work, and trans identity), social cohesion, and depression and anxiety symptoms. In unadjusted models, enacted and internalized sex work stigma were associated with greater odds of depression and anxiety symptoms and social cohesion was associated with less depression and anxiety. Resisted sex work stigma, which captured acceptance of self and work, was associated with lower odds of depression and trans stigma was associated with increased anxiety. In adjusted models, internalized sex work stigma was associated with increased depression (aOR=1.19, p=0.018) and anxiety symptoms (aOR=1.12, p=0.021), while social cohesion was associated with reduced depression (OR=0.81, p=0.002) and anxiety symptoms (aOR=0.086, p=0.023). Findings indicate the need for interventions to focus on reducing internalized sex work stigma and promoting social cohesion to improve mental health among trans women. Additional research is needed to determine how to best measure the intersections between HIV, sex work, and trans stigma and their impact on mental health

Anxiety · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Sex work · Clinical Psychology · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues

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