April 18th is National Transgender HIV Testing Day and Here's Some Facts to Know-TMPlanet

Today is National Transgender HIV Testing Day, which occurs annually each April 18. It’s a special day to raise awareness and provide resources for important issues surrounding the trans community and HIV.

Trans people are among some of the most at-risk groups for new HIV diagnoses, along with young people, gay, bi and trans men whose partners are male and LGBT people of color. What’s more, trans people often face increased stigma and discrimination when attempting to access HIV testing or other preventative treatment or healthcare — creating situations where our people are less likely to be tested or receive prompt care if they are HIV-positive.

Groups across the country today are holding testing and other awareness events to highlight the important issues facing the trans community and HIV healthcare.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

From 2009 to 2014, 2,351 transgender people were diagnosed with HIV in the United States. Eighty-four percent (1,974) were transgender women, 15 percent (361) were transgender men, and less than 1% (16) had another gender identity.
Around half of transgender people (43% of transgender women; 54% of transgender men) who received an HIV diagnosis from 2009 to 2014 lived in the South.
A 2013 report found that the estimated percentage of transgender women living with HIV in the United States was 22% among 2,705 transgender women sampled.
Among the 3.3 million HIV testing events reported to CDC in 2013, the percentage of transgender people who received a new HIV diagnosis was more than 3 times the national average.

A breakdown of new HIV diagnoses among trans people by race according to the CDC:

CDC Issues Prevention Challenges¹

Multiple factors have put transgender people at risk for HIV infection and transmission, including multiple sexual partners, anal or vaginal sex without condoms or medicines to prevent HIV, injecting hormones or drugs with shared syringes and other drug paraphernalia, commercial sex work, mental health issues, incarceration, homelessness, unemployment, and high levels of substance misuse compared to the general population, as well as violence and lack of family support.
HIV behavioral interventions developed for other at-risk groups have been adapted for use with transgender people. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is understudied. According to a 2017 study, most existing interventions target behavior change among transgender women, with only one HIV prevention program evaluated for transgender men. Evidence-based multilevel interventions that address the structural, biomedical, and behavioral risks for HIV among transgender populations, including transgender men, are needed to address disparities in HIV prevalence.
Many transgender people face stigma, discrimination, social rejection, and exclusion that prevent them from fully participating in society, including accessing health care, education, employment, and housing. These factors affect the health and well-being of transgender people, placing them at increased risk for HIV.
Transgender women and men might not be sufficiently reached by current HIV testing measures. Tailoring HIV testing activities to overcome the unique barriers faced by transgender women and men might increase rates of testing among these populations.
Transgender men’s sexual health has not been well studied. Transgender men, particularly those who have sex with cisgender (persons whose sex assigned at birth is the same as their gender identity or expression) men, are at high risk for infection. Over half of transgender men with diagnosed HIV infection had not identified or reported risk. Additional research is needed to understand HIV risk behavior among transgender men, especially those who have sex with other men.
Insensitivity to transgender issues by health care providers can be a barrier for transgender people diagnosed with HIV and seeking quality treatment and care services. Few health care providers receive proper training or are knowledgeable about transgender health issues and their unique needs. This can lead to limited health care access and negative health care encounters.
Transgender women and men might not fully engage in medical care. In the United States, transgender and other gender minority youth are an at-risk group understudied in HIV prevention (e.g., PrEP) and HIV treatment. In one study, medical gender affirmation and stigma in HIV care were each independently associated with elevated odds of having missed HIV care appointments. In a study of transgender men living with HIV who were receiving medical care, 60% had maintained an undetectable viral load over the previous 12 months. A 2015 study found that 50.8% of transgender women who were receiving medical care had maintained an undetectable viral load over the previous 12 months. Sustaining an undetectable viral load through effective treatment is the best thing people living with HIV can do to stay healthy and protect their sexual partners. People living with HIV who sustain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner.
Transgender-specific data are limited. Some federal, state and local agencies do not collect or have complete data on transgender individuals. Using the two-step data collection method of asking for sex assigned at birth and current gender identity can help increase the likelihood that transgender people are correctly identified in HIV surveillance programs. Accurate data on transgender status can lead to more effective public health actions.

HIV is no longer an immediate death penalty, and there are reports of preventive medications such as Prep, that acts as a barrier to contraction. Yet, the shame, lack of affordable health care are the leading causes now of AIDS deaths, there’s medication that can help.

While many clinics are not open 24/7, many LGBT centers, LGBT bars are continuing HIV testing across the country and many well into the weekend. Contact your local support groups, health clinics, and LGBT centers across the country that can help with testing, guide you to medical care and resources to receive your medication.