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King WM, Gamarel KE, Fleischer NL, Radix AE, Poteat TC, Chatters LM, Operario D, Reisner SL, Wirtz AL. Racial/ethnic differences in the association between transgender-related U.S. state policies and self-rated health of transgender women. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:911. [PMID: 38539112 PMCID: PMC10976742 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18317-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Policy protections for transgender adults in the United States are consistently associated with positive health outcomes. However, studies over-represent non-Latinx White transgender people and obscure variation in policies' intended goals. This study examined racial differences in the relationship between transgender-related policies and transgender women's self-rated health. Guided by Critical Race Theory, we hypothesized that policies conferring access to resources (e.g., healthcare) would be associated with better self-rated health among all participants while policies signifying equality (e.g., nondiscrimination laws) would be associated with better self-rated health only for White participants. METHODS Using cross-sectional data collected between March 2018-December 2020 from 1566 transgender women, we analyzed 7 state-level 'access policies,' 5 'equality policies,' and sum indices of each. Participants represented 29 states, and 54.7% were categorized as people of color. We fit a series of multilevel ordinal regression models predicting self-rated health by each policy. Multivariate models were adjusted for relevant covariates at the individual- and state-level. We then tested moderation by race/ethnicity using interaction terms and generated stratified predicted probability plots. RESULTS In bivariate models, 4 access policies, 2 equality policies, and both indices were associated with better self-rated health, but associations did not persist in adjusted models. Results from the multivariable models including interaction terms indicated that policies concerning private insurance coverage of gender-affirming care, private insurance nondiscrimination, credit nondiscrimination, and both indices were statistically significantly associated with better self-rated health for White participants and worse self-rated health for participants of color. CONCLUSIONS The policies included in this analysis do not mitigate racism's effects on access to resources, indicating they may be less impactful for transgender women of color than White transgender women. Future research and policy advocacy efforts promoting transgender women's health must center racial equity as well as transgender people of color's priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley M King
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Kristi E Gamarel
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Nancy L Fleischer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Asa E Radix
- Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, 356 West 18th Street, New York, NY, 10011, USA
| | - Tonia C Poteat
- Duke University School of Nursing, Box 3322 DUMC, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Linda M Chatters
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- University of Michigan School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Don Operario
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sari L Reisner
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Andrea L Wirtz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Schnarrs PW, Zuñiga J, Benitez G, Fliedner P, Norwood A, Croll M, Oviedo LDS, Buchorn J, Oeffinger J, Lane R, Schelling E, Pham G, Pate T, Arnold EM. Intention to Use Different Formulations of Longer Acting HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Transgender and Gender Expansive Individuals: The Roles of Social Vulnerability and Medical Mistrust. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2024; 38:51-60. [PMID: 38381948 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2023.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2012, the Federal Drug Administration approved daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in adults. Longer acting injectable PrEP (LA PrEP) has been approved and other formulations are in development. A successful LA PrEP rollout requires examining potential facilitators and barriers to PrEP uptake. Given that transgender and gender expansive (TGE) individuals experience more social vulnerability and higher levels of medical mistrust compared to other populations, examining the role of these two factors in LA PrEP uptake is important. This study, PrEP for ALL, is a community-based participatory research project in Texas that engaged TGE community members and organizational partners through a community advisory board. In total, 482 TGE individuals were recruited and responded to all relevant questions in an online survey, including their intentions to use three formulations: a monthly oral pill, a bimonthly intramuscular injection, and an annual subdermal implant. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the influence of social vulnerability and medical mistrust on intention to use each LA PrEP formulation adjusting for other relevant factors. Findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of social vulnerability had greater intentions to use the monthly oral pill (β = 0.12, p = 0.009), the bimonthly intramuscular injection (β = 0.18, p < 0.001), and annual subdermal implant (β = 0.17, p < 0.001), whereas medical mistrust reduced intentions to use the bimonthly intramuscular injection (β = -0.18, p < 0.001) and annual subdermal implant (β = -0.11, p = 0.021). Improvements in gender-affirming clinical care are needed along with LA PrEP formulations that allow for greater autonomy and reduced clinical contact. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT05044286.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip W Schnarrs
- Department of Population Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Julie Zuñiga
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Gabrielle Benitez
- Department of Population Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Paul Fliedner
- Department of Population Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Aliza Norwood
- Department of Population Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Madeleine Croll
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
| | | | - Jacey Buchorn
- Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Rocky Lane
- Transgender Education Network of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Gin Pham
- Transgender Education Network of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - TreShaun Pate
- Transgender Education Network of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Arnold
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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Flaherty TM, Byrnes JF, Maddalena A. Misgendering a transgender woman using FORDISC 3.1: A case study. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 7:100342. [PMID: 37415608 PMCID: PMC10320518 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
•FORDISC was unable to classify a transgender woman despite her extensive gender-affirming medical care, including Facial Feminization Surgeries.•This case study demonstrates that there is a need for forensic anthropologists to educate themselves on cases that may involve transgender people.•The use of a biocultural approach will allow forensic anthropologists to better identify marginalized individuals, including transgender women.
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Chakrapani V, Lakshmi PVM, Newman PA, Kaur J, Tsai AC, Vijin PP, Singh B, Kumar P, Rajan S, Kumar R. Syndemic violence victimization, alcohol and drug use, and HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV-negative transgender women in India: A cross-sectional, population-based study. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000437. [PMID: 36962491 PMCID: PMC10021466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Transgender women globally are disproportionately burdened by HIV. Co-occurring epidemics of adverse psychosocial exposures accelerate HIV sexual risk, including among transgender women; however, studies using additive models fail to examine synergies among psychosocial conditions that define a syndemic. We examined the impact of synergistic interactions among 4 psychosocial exposures on condomless anal sex (CAS) among transgender women in India. A national probability-based sample of 4,607 HIV-negative transgender women completed the Indian Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance survey, 2014-2015. We used linear probability regression and logistic regression to assess 2-, 3-, and 4-way interactions among 4 psychosocial exposures (physical violence, sexual violence, drug use, and alcohol use) on CAS. Overall, 27.3% reported physical and 22.3% sexual violence victimization (39.2% either physical or sexual violence), one-third (33.9%) reported frequent alcohol use and 11.5% illicit drug use. Physical violence was associated with twofold higher odds of CAS in the main effects model. Statistically significant two- and three-way interactions were identified, on both the multiplicative and the additive scales, between physical violence and drug use; physical and sexual violence; physical violence, sexual violence, and alcohol use; and physical violence, alcohol use and drug use. Physical and sexual violence victimization, and alcohol and drug use are highly prevalent and synergistically interact to increase CAS among HIV-negative transgender women in India. Targeted and integrated multilevel initiatives to improve the assessment of psychosocial comorbidities, to combat systemic transphobic violence, and to provide tailored, trauma-informed alcohol and substance use treatment services may reduce HIV risk among transgender women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatesan Chakrapani
- Centre for Sexuality and Health Research and Policy (C-SHaRP), Chennai, India
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India
| | - P V M Lakshmi
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India
| | - Peter A Newman
- University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jasvir Kaur
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - P P Vijin
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India
| | - Bhawani Singh
- National AIDS Control Organisation, New Delhi, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- National AIDS Control Organisation, New Delhi, India
| | - Shobini Rajan
- National AIDS Control Organisation, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), School of Public Health, Chandigarh, India
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