Detection of sexually transmitted infections among transvestites and transsexual women in prison in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Alves-da-Silva, Carlos Renato; Bonan, Claudia; Gomes Junior, Saint Clair dos Santos; Vieira, Rosilene Santarone

doi:10.1590/1980-549720230058

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Article • Rev. bras. Epidemiol. 26 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-549720230058 copy

Detection of sexually transmitted infections among transvestites and transsexual women in prison in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To evaluate the seropositivity rate of rapid tests for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C among transvestites and transgender women (transfeminine persons) inmates in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, analyzing the results based on sociodemographic, prison profile and access to health technologies to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Methods:

Cross-sectional census-type study carried out with transfeminine in eleven male prisons in Rio de Janeiro, between the months of April and June 2021.

Results:

The detection rates found were 34.4% for HIV, and 48.9% for syphilis, and 0.8% for type B and C hepatitis. Seropositivity for more than one infection was verified in 25.4% of participants, and HIV/syphilis was the most prevalent. An increase in the level of education (p=0.037) and having a steady partner in prison (p=0.041) were considered protective factors for STIs in this population. Difficulties were identified in accessing STI prevention technologies, such as male condoms, lubricating gel, rapid tests, and prophylactic antiretroviral therapies for HIV.

Conclusion:

HIV and syphilis seropositivity rates were high, but within the profile found in this population in other studies inside or outside prisons. The data found indicates the need to incorporate effective strategies for access to health technologies for the prevention of STIs. The scarcity of scientific publications containing epidemiological data on STIs in the transfeminine prison population limited deeper comparisons of the results obtained in this study.

Keywords:
Transgender persons; Prisons; Syphilis; Hepatitis; HIV seropositivity

Characteristic – socioeconomic		n	%
Age range (years)
	18–29	85	64.9
	30–39	34	25.9
	40 and over	12	9.2
Race/color
	Non-white	113	86.3
	White	18	13.7
Education
	Incomplete elementary school	65	49.6
	Complete elementary school	4	3.0
	Incomplete High School	37	28.3
	Complete High School	19	14.5
	Complete and incomplete higher education	6	4.6
Sexual orientation
	Heterosexual	123	93.9
	Bisexual	8	5.3
Paid activity before imprisonment
	Was not working	23	17.6
	Sex worker	55	42.0
	Formal or informal employment (beauty, fashion, food, and others)	53	40.4
Use of illicit substances before the current arrest
	Yes	106	80.9
	No	25	19.1
Characteristic – prison
Length of stay in prison (years)
	Up to 1	59	45.0
	More than 1	72	55.0
Proportion between transfeminines and men in the cell
	1/1 to 1/10	20	15.3
	Over 1/10	111	84.7
Steady partner in prison
	Yes	77	58.8
	No	54	41.2
Number of partners in prison
	Up to 1	22	16.8
	More than 1	109	83.2
Registered visitor
	Yes	65	49.6
	No	66	50.4
Labor activity in prison
	Yes	23	17.6
	No	108	82.4
Education in prison
	Yes	26	19.8
	No	105	80.2

Characteristic		n	%
Access to male condoms
	Yes	29/131	22.1
	No	102/131	77.9
Access to lubricants
	Yes	95/131	72.5
	No	36/131	27.5
Carrying out the rapid test for HIV
	No, subject already undergoing treatment	37/131	28.2
	Registered in the medical record, with a positive result	3/131	2.3
	Registered in the medical record, with a negative result	38/131	29.0
	Carried out during the interview, negative result	48/131	36.6
	Carried out during the interview, positive result	5/131	3.9
Carrying out the rapid test for syphilis
	No, subject already undergoing treatment	0/131	0.0
	Registered in the medical record, with a positive result	39/131	29.8
	Registered in the medical record, with a negative result	17/131	13.0
	Carried out during the interview, negative result	50/131	38.1
	Carried out during the interview, positive result	25/131	19.1
Carrying out the rapid test for hepatitis B
	No, subject already undergoing treatment	1/131	0.8
	Registered in the medical record, with a positive result	0/131	0.0
	Registered in the medical record, with a negative result	55/131	42.0
	Carried out during the interview, negative result	75/131	57.2
	Carried out during the interview, positive result	0/131	0.0
Carrying out the rapid test for hepatitis C
	No, subject already undergoing treatment	1/131	0.8
	Registered in the medical record, with a positive result	0/131	0.0
	Registered in the medical record, with a negative result	55/131	42.0
	Carried out during the interview, negative result	75/131	57.2
	Carried out during the interview, positive result	0/131	0.0
Positive result in at least one of the STI tests
	Yes	71/131	54.2
	No	60/131	45.8
Frequency of positive results for STIs
	Only one STI	52/71	73.2
	HIV/syphilis	18/71	25.4
	HIV/hepatitis B	1/71	1.4

Characteristic		Positive result for STI
		N	Yes		No		p-value
		N	n	%	n	%	p-value
Age range (years)
	19–29	85	40	47.1	45	52.9	0.026
	Over 29	46	31	67.4	15	32.6	0.026
Race/color
	White	113	62	54.9	51	45.1	0.700
	Non-white	18	9	50.0	9	50.0	0.700
Education
	Elementary school	70	44	62.8	26	37.2	0.033
	High School and Higher education	61	27	44.3	34	55.7	0.033
Sexual orientation
	Heterosexual	123	66	53.7	57	46.3	0.627
	Bisexual	8	5	62.5	3	37.5	0.627
Paid activity before imprisonment
	Sex worker	55	30	54.5	25	45.5	0.946
	Formal or other informal employment	76	41	53.9	35	46.1	0.946
Use of illicit substances before imprisonment
	Yes	106	61	57.5	45	42.5	0.113
	No	25	10	40.0	15	60.0	0.113
Length of stay in prison (years)
	Up to 1	59	34	57.6	25	42.4	0.476
	More than 1	72	37	51.4	35	48.6	0.476
Proportion between trans. and men in the cell
	1/1 to 1/10	20	11	55.0	9	45.0	0.938
	Over 1/10	111	60	54.1	51	45.9	0.938
Steady partner in prison
	Yes	77	36	46.8	41	53.2	0.041
	No	54	35	64.8	19	35.2	0.041
Number of partners in prison
	Up to 1	22	13	59.1	9	40.9	0.614
	More than 1	109	58	53.2	51	46.8	0.614
Registered visitor
	Yes	65	30	46.2	35	53.8	0.067
	No	66	41	62.1	25	37.9	0.067
Education in prison
	Yes	26	15	57.7	11	42.3	0.690
	No	105	56	53.3	49	46.7	0.690
Access to male condoms
	Yes	102	55	53.9	47	46.1	0.905
	No	29	16	55.2	13	44.8	0.905
Access to lubricants
	Yes	36	16	44.4	20	55.6	0.168
	No	95	55	57.9	40	42.1	0.168

Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715 - 2º andar - sl. 3 - Cerqueira César, 01246-904 São Paulo SP Brasil , Tel./FAX: +55 11 3085-5411 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revbrepi@usp.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Carlos Renato Alves-da-Silva. Avenida Rui Barbosa, 716, Flamengo, CEP: 22250-020, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brasil. E-mail: carlos-renato.silva@fiocruz.br