The Interaction of Drug Use, Sex Work, and HIV Among Transgender Women

Abstract

Transgender women have a higher prevalence of drug use, HIV, drug use, and sex work than the general population. This article explores the interaction of these variables and discusses how sex work and drug use behaviors contribute to the high rates of HIV. A model predicting HIV rates with sex work and drug use as well as these behaviors in the transgender woman's social network is presented. Challenges to intervening with transgender women, as well as suggestions and criteria for successful interventions, are discussed.

Keywords :

• substance use
• drug use
• HIV
• sex work
• prostitution
• transgender

THE AUTHORS

Beth R. Hoffman, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at California State University, Los Angeles. She received her Ph.D. in Health Behavior Research and her M.P.H. in Preventive Nutrition from the University of Southern California. She has studied social influences on drug and sexual behaviors in several populations, including adolescents, gang members, and transgender women. Her other research interests include vaccination education and public health pedagogy.