Stigma and HIV prevention in transgender persons engaging paid sexual activity in Bogotá

Abstract

Introduction: Stigmatization of specific populations in health services affects Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention. Objective: To identify how the stigma towards transgender people dedicated to paid sexual activity (PSA) is expressed in the public health services of Bogotá and how to reduce it in the HIV prevention, from the perspective of professionals from the public health network who are leaders in HIV and transgender activists and PSA. Method: Descriptive qualitative study based on six in-depth interviews with health professionals and two focus groups with eight transgender and PSA activists. Thematic analysis was supported by the Atlas-Ti 8 software. Results: The lack of access to gender recognition stands out among the expressions of stigma in services for transgender people performing PSA.  In the field of HIV, it is proposed to strengthen the framework of rights,  renew the vision of HIV, mentoring within the work teams and dialogue between health personnel and transgender users. Conclusions: It is necessary to break transphobic paradigms in health services, which is why a determined work is required, guided by a dialogic approach and social inclusion, with a gender and sexual diversity, rights, population and differential perspective.