Gender identity and HIV risk among men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa. Issue 11 (2nd November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jobson, Geoffrey; Tucker, Andrew; de Swardt, Glenn; Rebe, Kevin; Struthers, Helen; McIntyre, James; Peters, Remco
• Is Part Of: AIDS care. Volume 30:Issue 11(2018)
• Page Start: 1421
• Page End: 1425
• Publication Date: 2018-11-02
• Subjects: HIV -- MSM -- gender non-conformity -- South Africa; AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Care -- Periodicals; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; 362.1969792
• DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2018.1465175
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-0121

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Gender identity plays a potentially important role contributing to HIV risk among MSM in South Africa. Where studies have included a focus on gender identity, MSM reporting gender non-conformity have been found to have a higher risk of being HIV positive than other MSM. This article examines HIV risk among gender non-conforming MSM in a sample of 316 MSM in Cape Town, South Africa. Reporting gender non-conformity was associated with higher HIV prevalence and increased HIV risk behaviour. Gender non-conformity was also associated with a higher likelihood of being unemployed and reporting low household incomes. These findings highlight the importance of gender-identity as a factor affecting access to HIV treatment, care, and prevention in South Africa and this is an issue that needs to be addressed in interventions targeting MSM populations.