Higher Rates of Low Socioeconomic Status, Marginalization, and Stress in Black Transgender Women Compared to Black Cisgender MSM in The MARI Study

Jonathan S Russell; DeMarc A Hickson; Liadh Timmins; Dustin T Duncan

doi:10.3390/ijerph18042183

Higher Rates of Low Socioeconomic Status, Marginalization, and Stress in Black Transgender Women Compared to Black Cisgender MSM in The MARI Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 23;18(4):2183. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042183.

Authors

Jonathan S Russell¹, DeMarc A Hickson², Liadh Timmins³, Dustin T Duncan³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and ICAP, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA.
² Us Helping Us, People Into Living Inc., Washington, DC 20010, USA.
³ Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Abstract

Most HIV research combines transgender women who have sex with men (TWSM) with cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM), despite emerging evidence of important differences. Using data from The MARI Study, we compared Black TWSM and Black cisgender MSM on personal and ecological factors. Black TWSM reported more unemployment (71.4% versus 51.4%, p = 0.015), incarceration (52.4% versus 36.0%, p = 0.046), stressful life experiences (median score 135.5 versus 90, p = 0.033), and HIV positivity (66.7% versus 22.9%, p = 0.008). Further research into the causes and consequences of these differences, and regarding TWSM specifically, is needed.

Keywords: Black TWSM; Black cisgender MSM; HIV; cisgender men who have sex with men; transgender women who have sex with men.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Black or African American
Female
HIV Infections* / epidemiology
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Male
Sexual and Gender Minorities*
Social Class
Transgender Persons*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding