HIV risk perception and sexual behavior among HIV-uninfected men and transgender women who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: Findings from the HPTN 075 qualitative sub-study.

ABSTRACT: There remains a limited understanding of how men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) perceive their risk for HIV and how risk influences behavior during sexual interactions. We performed thematic analysis on in-depth interviews from the qualitative sub-study of HPTN 075 in Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa. Using the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) constructs, we found that most MSM and TGW perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV, leading them to regularly engage in safer sexual behaviors. Notably, even though these MSM and TGW perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV, some of them reported engaging in transactional sex, sex under the influence of alcohol, and intentional non-use of condoms. This indicates that HIV risk perception was no

SUBMITTER: Mbilizi Chimwaza YR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10021518 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature