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: Introduction: Trans masculine people who have sex with cisgender (“cis”) men (“trans MSM”) may be at‐risk for HIV infection when they have cis MSM partners or share needles for hormone or recreational drug injection. Limited data are available characterizing indications and uptake of pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in trans MSM. The aim of this study was to assess PrEP indication and uptake as a means of primary HIV prevention for adult trans MSM in the U.S. Methods: Between November and December 2017, a national convenience sample of trans MSM in the U.S. (n = 857) was recruited using participatory methodologies and completed an online survey of demographics, HIV risk, PrEP, behavioural and psychosocial factors. Self‐reported receptive anal sex or frontal/vaginal sex (with or without a condom) with a cis male sex partner in past six months was an eligibility criterion. A multivariable logistic regression procedure was used to model PrEP indications (yes/no) per an interpretation of U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommendations among those without HIV (n = 843). Results: The diverse sample was 4.9% Black; 22.1% Latinx ethnicity; 28.4% non‐binary gender identity; 32.6% gay‐identified; 82.7% on testosterone. Overall, 84.1% had heard of PrEP. Of these, 33.3% reported lifetime PrEP use (21.8% current and 11.5% past). Based on HIV behavioural risk profiles in the last six months, 55.2% of respondents had indications for PrEP. In a multivariable model, factors associated with PrEP indication included where met sex partners, not having sex exclusively with cismen, higher perceived HIV risk, greater number of partners and high cis male partner stigma (all p < 0.05). Discussion: The majority of trans MSM in this sample had a PrEP indication. Stigma was associated with risk for HIV acquisition and represents a critical target for HIV biobehavioural prevention interventions for trans MSM, who appear to be underutilizing PrEP. Conclusions: Results from this study support the full inclusion of trans MSM in HIV biobehavioural prevention efforts. Public health interventions and programmes are needed to reach trans MSM that attend to general MSM risk factors as well as to vulnerabilities specific to trans MSM, including the context of stigma from cis male sexual partners., Introduction In the United States (U.S.), HIV infection remains a serious public health problem, particularly among key populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). Transgender people, those [...]

Adolescent sexual harassment victimization is increasingly recognized as a strong risk factor for dating violence victimization and perpetration. Research on this association has focused on older adolescents and on sexual harassment at a single time point rather than chronic exposure. Furthermore, potential mechanisms, such as psychological distress, are not well understood. The goals of this study were to identify whether sexual harassment victimization and psychological distress were reciprocally related, whether chronic psychological distress and sexual harassment victimization in early adolescence were associated with higher levels of dating violence involvement measured in mid-adolescence, and whether these relationships differed between boys and girls. We used longitudinal data from 4,718 US middle school students to fit regression models for the associations between sexual harassment victimization and psychological distress. We then used data from a subset of 1,279 students followed up in high school to fit marginal structural models for sixth- to eighth-grade psychological distress and sexual harassment victimization as predictors of dating violence involvement measured in ninth grade. We found that (1) sexual harassment victimization was positively, concurrently associated with psychological distress, with a stronger association among girls than boys; (2) psychological distress was positively, prospectively associated with sexual harassment victimization among girls but not boys; (3) chronic sixth- to eighth-grade psychological distress was not significantly associated with dating violence victimization or perpetration measured in ninth grade; and (4) chronic sixth- to eighth-grade sexual harassment victimization was associated with significantly higher levels of dating violence victimization and perpetration measured in ninth grade. The results support a reciprocal relationship between distress and sexual harassment victimization for early adolescent girls, and they call for further attention to gender differences in the content and impact of sexual harassment. Furthermore, the findings indicate that preventing sexual harassment in early adolescence may be critical in reducing dating violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: COVID-19 surveillance data are rarely collected or disaggregated by gender identity in the United States. We quantified COVID-19 testing experiences and SARS-CoV-2 infection history among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people to inform testing strategies and public health responses. Methods: From June 14 through December 16, 2021, TGD adults enrolled in a US nationwide online survey with optional SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing. We used multinomial regression analyses to identify correlates of suspected and confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (vs no known infection). We identified correlates of inability to access COVID-19 testing when needed using generalized linear models for binomial variables. Results: Participants (N = 2092) reported trans masculine (30.5%), trans feminine (27.3%), and nonbinary (42.2%) gender identities. Ten percent of respondents had a confirmed history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 29.8% had a history of suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nonbinary gender (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.12-2.53), experiencing homelessness (aPR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.05-2.60), and food insecurity (aPR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.04) were associated with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Food insecurity (aPR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.10-1.72), chronic physical health condition (aPR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.15-1.80), chronic mental health condition (aPR = 3.65; 95% CI, 2.40-5.56), and increased anticipated discrimination scores (aPR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) were associated with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thirty-four percent (n = 694 of 2024) of participants reported an inability to access COVID-19 testing when needed, which was associated with Latinx or Hispanic ethnicity, inconsistent telephone access, homelessness, disability, and transportation limitations. The majority (79.4%) reported a complete COVID-19 vaccine course at the time of participation. Conclusions: Inclusion of TGD people in public health surveillance and tailored public health strategies to address TGD communities' social and structural vulnerabilities may reduce barriers to COVID-19 testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]