Short communication: feasibility and acceptability of developing a multisite clinical cohort of transgender people with HIV infection.

Transgender women bear a disproportionate burden of HIV, yet data among this population are not routinely collected in HIV clinical cohorts. Brief surveys and follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted with principal investigators or designated representatives of 17 HIV clinical cohorts to determine the acceptability and feasibility of pooling transgender-specific data from existing HIV clinical cohort studies. Twelve of 17 sites reported that they already collect gender identity data but not consistently. Others were receptive to collecting this information. Many also expressed interest in a study of clinical outcomes among HIV-infected transgender women using pooled data across cohorts. The collection of longitudinal data on transgender people living with HIV is acceptable and feasible for most North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) cohorts. HIV clinical cohort studies should make efforts to include transgender individuals and develop the tools to collect quality data on this high-need population.