Transgender men in care for HIV have numerous medical and social needs that remain unmet, aidsmap reports.

Publishing their findings in Research and Practice, investigators analyzed medical records of individuals in care for HIV between 2009 and 2014. Trans men make up 0.16 percent of all adults but 11 percent of transgender adults receiving HIV care.

Forty-two percent of the trans men had a high school diploma; 11 percent were living in poverty; one third had no health insurance or received their HIV care from a Ryan White­–supported program; 69 percent had at least one social support need that was unmet; one quarter had depression; 53 percent were sexually active; 57 percent had been living with HIV for longer than a decade; one quarter had been diagnosed with AIDS; 93 percent had ever taken antiretroviral (ARV) treatment; 88 percent were on ARVs and 83 percent were adherent to their medications; the last viral load measurement was undetectable in 69 percent of the men; 57 percent had a CD4 count above 500; two thirds took a viral load test twice per year; 40 percent had received sexual health or HIV prevention counseling from a health care providers.

The study authors concluded that trans men with HIV are a small group “with socioeconomic challenges, unmet needs for supportive services and poor health outcomes. To decrease disparities and achieve health equity among HIV-positive men, HIV care models could incorporate transgender-sensitive health care and mental health services and health insurance inclusive of sex reassignment procedures and physical sex­­–related care.”

To read the aidsmap article, click here.

To read the study abstract, click here.