Robert Paulino-Ramírez1, Kristine R Hearld2, Seyram A Butane3, Leandro Tapia1, Henna Budhwani2, Sylvie Naar3, Mayra Rodriguez-Lauzurique1,4. 1. Instituto de Medicina Tropical & Salud Global, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 2. School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 3. Center for Translational Behavioral Science (CTBScience), Florida State University College of Medicine (FSU), Tallahassee, Florida, USA. 4. Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Abstract
Purpose: Transgender women (TW) in the Dominican Republic (DR) are at high risk for syphillis infection. Although treatable, infection rates remain at epidemic proportions. Methods: In 2016, we conducted a national survey, with serological sampling of TW in the DR (n=255). Results: In our sample, syphillis seropositivity was 47.45%. There was a statistically significant association between age (t=-2.93, df, p<0.01), arrest history (χ 2=8.15, p<0.01), exposure to violence (χ 2=3.73, p<0.05), and syphilis seropositivity. Multivariate analyses show TW arrested in the past 6 months have higher odds of seropositivity (odds ratio=2.05, confidence interval: 1.04-4.06, p<0.05). Conclusions: There is a need for education and public health campaigns focused on TW specifically. Copyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Purpose: Transgender women (TW) in the Dominican Republic (DR) are at high risk for syphillis infection. Although treatable, infection rates remain at epidemic proportions. Methods: In 2016, we conducted a national survey, with serological sampling of TW in the DR (n=255). Results: In our sample, syphillis seropositivity was 47.45%. There was a statistically significant association between age (t=-2.93, df, p<0.01), arrest history (χ 2=8.15, p<0.01), exposure to violence (χ 2=3.73, p<0.05), and syphilis seropositivity. Multivariate analyses show TW arrested in the past 6 months have higher odds of seropositivity (odds ratio=2.05, confidence interval: 1.04-4.06, p<0.05). Conclusions: There is a need for education and public health campaigns focused on TW specifically. Copyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Entities:
Keywords:
sexually transmitted infections; syphilis; transgender female sex workers; transgender women
Authors: Sarah E Wiehe; Marc B Rosenman; Matthew C Aalsma; Michael L Scanlon; J Dennis Fortenberry Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2015-10-15 Impact factor: 9.308