Syndemic violence victimization, alcohol and drug use, and HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV-negative transgender women in India: A cross-sectional, population-based study

Abstract

Transgender women globally are disproportionately burdened by HIV. Co-occurring epidemics of adverse psychosocial exposures accelerate HIV sexual risk, including among transgender women; however, studies using additive models fail to examine synergies among psychosocial conditions that define a syndemic. We examined the impact of synergistic interactions among 4 psychosocial exposures on condomless anal sex (CAS) among transgender women in India. A national probability-based sample of 4,607 HIV-negative transgender women completed the Indian Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance survey, 2014−2015. We used linear probability regression and logistic regression to assess 2-, 3-, and 4-way interactions among 4 psychosocial exposures (physical violence, sexual violence, drug use, and alcohol use) on CAS. Overall, 27.3% reported physical and 22.3% sexual violence victimization (39.2% either physical or sexual violence), one-third (33.9%) reported frequent alcohol use and 11.5% illicit drug use. Physical violence was associated with twofold higher odds of CAS in the main effects model. Statistically significant two- and three-way interactions were identified, on both the multiplicative and the additive scales, between physical violence and drug use; physical and sexual violence; physical violence, sexual violence, and alcohol use; and physical violence, alcohol use and drug use. Physical and sexual violence victimization, and alcohol and drug use are highly prevalent and synergistically interact to increase CAS among HIV-negative transgender women in India. Targeted and integrated multilevel initiatives to improve the assessment of psychosocial comorbidities, to combat systemic transphobic violence, and to provide tailored, trauma-informed alcohol and substance use treatment services may reduce HIV risk among transgender women.