Risk Behaviors and Perceptions Among Self-identified Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM), Bisexuals, Transvestites, and Transgender Women in Western Guatemala.

Guatemala has a concentrated HIV epidemic disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women. We recruited 205 self-identified MSM, bisexuals, transvestites, and transgender women in western Guatemala using long-chain peer referral, wherein "seed" participants were asked to invite as many as three acquaintances to participate in the study. Self-reported sexual or gender identity was MSM, 46%; bisexual, 28%; transvestite, 21%, and transgender woman, 5%. Median age of the participants was 23 years, and 36% self-identified as being indigenous. Indigenous persons were more likely to self-identity as transvestite (32.9% vs 13.8%, P = 0.04), strongly perceive themselves at risk for HIV (87.7% vs 51.5%, P = 0.001), have had an HIV test in the last 12 months and know the result (97.3% vs 85.4%, P = 0.008), and experience barriers to testing and treatment (86.3% vs 67.7%, P = 0.004). HIV prevention services for indigenous MSM should especially target transvestites and how to overcome stigmatization and barriers to care.

Risk of sexually transmitted infections among Mayan women in rural Guatemala whose partners are migrant workers.

HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) are of concern in Mayan districts of Guatemala in which labor migration is common. This study assessed whether the migration status of men is associated with reported STI symptoms among their female primary partners. In a multivariate analysis of survey data taken from a larger Mayan sexual health study, the odds of reporting STI symptoms were twofold higher among women who reported that their partner migrated (OR 2.08, 95 % CI, 1.16-3.71), compared to women whose partners did not. Women from the Mam and Kaqchikel ethnolinguistic groups reported higher rates of STI symptoms after adjustment for their partners' migration status.