[Social characteristics and risk behaviors for HIV in a group of transvestites and male transsexuals engaging in street prostitution].

OBJECTIVE

To describe life and work conditions, practices associated with HIV transmission, self-informed HIV status and HIV test coverage in a group of male transgender street prostitutes.

METHODS

Case descriptive study of male transgender street prostitutes who attended a mobile unit of a harm reduction programme in 1998 in Madrid, Spain Information on sociodemographic characteristics, work conditions, illegal drug use, sexual behaviours and self-informed HIV status was collected.

RESULTS

132 male transgenders were interviewed, of which 56% were Spanish. Median age was 30 years. 50% had primary school education or less. 11% had injected drugs sometime in their lives. Median time in prostitution was 8 years and 66% had worked only in the streets. In the last month, all of them said to use condoms in insertive anal sex with clients, 98% in receptive sex and 49% always used it with their partners in the previous year. 39% referred accidents with condoms within the previous month. 73% had had an HIV test, of which 22% said to be HIV positive (16% in those who had never injected drugs and 58% in the ones who had).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV seroprevalence in male transgender street prostitutes is high, even in non-intravenous drug users. They nearly always use condoms with clients but have a high level of accidents. HIV prevention programmes in prostitution should be more specifically adapted to the different groups of commercial sex workers.