Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE: Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals face high levels of discrimination and mistreatment, including within social and medical service settings, which may lead to negative health and psychosocial sequelae. Given the many barriers to competent care, we sought to determine points of intervention by assessing the current needs, satisfaction, and health care utilization of TGNC individuals in New York City as reported by TGNC individuals. METHODS: In January 2013, fifty TGNC individuals were recruited via flyers and direct referrals from healthcare professionals within community spaces and pertinent venues. We administered a brief survey and conducted four focus groups exploring participants' health care utilization and perceived barriers to care, routine care, hormone and silicone use, and recommendations for improving transgender services. RESULTS: Participants were 18- to 64-years-old, racially/ethnically diverse, and the majority were medically insured, underwent routine health care in the last year, and received an HIV test in their lifetime. A significant proportion reported taking hormones prescribed by a medical provider and were in the care of knowledgeable providers. Participants perceived four areas where barriers persisted: utilization of preventive services, access to transition-related procedures, access to legal assistance, and inclusion of TGNC individuals in public health education and campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: Structural interventions are needed, such as comprehensive provider training programs for all level staff to better serve the needs of TGNC individuals, increase service utilization and improve wellbeing, while effecting lasting institutional change. Service provision establishments should hire more TGNC staff and integrate transgender care into existing practices.

Transgender and gender-nonconforming youth have unique medical and psychosocial needs that frequently go unmet. For youth who wish to have their physical appearance congruent with their gender identity, treatment guidelines are available that advocate the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues (puberty blockers) and cross-sex hormone regimens. Although medical transition was once considered highly controversial, there is a mounting body of evidence that providing a supportive and affirming environment, as well as appropriate medical intervention, results in improved health outcomes. Primary care pediatricians may be unaware of current guidelines and consequently the need for treatment and/or timely referrals. Transgender youth often face other hurdles to initiation of therapy, including refusal of care and harassment in medical settings, denial of coverage by insurance plans, and the high cost of puberty blockers. Because transgender youth younger than 18 years depend on their families for medical decision making, they may be unable to access necessary medical treatment when parents do not support their transition plan. Medical transition impacts many aspects of the medical system, such as insurance coverage, billing, electronic health records, and preventive health care maintenance. These issues may become more apparent with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and increased use of electronic records and clinical decision support. The implementation of the ACA may also present new opportunities and protections for transgender individuals. Primary pediatricians are often the first providers families and youth reach out to for advice, and they can assist families with negotiating these complex medical, legal, social, and economic challenges and optimizing access to safe and appropriate health care services.

BACKGROUND: In December 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) changed to include patients with CD4 counts between 350 and 500 cells/microL. The aims of this study were to assess uptake of this recommendation in ART-naive youth with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to describe the epidemiology of transmitted genotypic drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in this population. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study of ART initiation in ART-naive youth was performed. Eligible subjects were 13-25 years of age, were diagnosed with HIV within 1 year of presentation to care at the study sites, and presented to care from January 2007 to June 2011. RESULTS: Of 685 potential subjects identified, 331 (49%) fulfilled inclusion criteria. Mean CD4 count at presentation to care was 452 cells/microL. Overall, 191 (58%) subjects started ART. The mean CD4 count at ART initiation was 261 cells/microL before and 363 cells/microL after the 2009 guideline change (P < .0001). Of 212 (64%) subjects with resistance testing available prior to ART initiation, 38 (18%) subjects had a major DRM and an increased proportion of resistance was seen in later study years. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated an uptake in recently changed guideline recommendations to treat HIV-infected individuals at higher CD4 counts and reinforces the importance of performing resistance testing at entry into care, as 18% of our population had major DRMs prior to initiation of ART.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent data on the high burden of HIV among transgender women have stimulated interest in addressing HIV in this vulnerable population. This review situates the epidemiologic data on HIV among transgender women in the context of the social determinants of health and describes opportunities for effective interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: Transgender women experience unique vulnerability to HIV that can be attributed to multilevel, intersecting factors that also influence the HIV treatment and care continuum. Stigma and discrimination, lack of social and legal recognition of their affirmed gender, and exclusion from employment and educational opportunities represent fundamental drivers of HIV risk in transgender women worldwide. SUMMARY: Interventions to improve engagement in HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment among transgender women should build on community strengths and address structural factors as well as psychosocial and biologic factors that increase HIV vulnerability and prevent access to HIV services.