High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Transgender Individuals in Tehran, Iran

Global evidence indicates that transgender people are disproportionately at risk for HIV infection. However, limited data are available characterizing sexual behaviors and HIV infection among transgender people in Iran. This study aims to determine the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors and HIV infection among transgender people in Iran. In 2009, we assessed data of 58 transgender individuals (41 female-to-male (FTM) and 17 male-to-female (MTF)). Their demographic characteristics and risky sexual behaviors, and other risky behaviors such as substance use were gathered using a structured questionnaire. Rapid tests were used to confirm HIV seropositivity. Fifty-four participants who provided blood samples, none were positive (exact 95% confidence intervals: 0.0, 0.07). 75.6% of FTM and 64.7% of MTF reported having sex in the past six months, respectively. Of the sample who reported having sex in the past six months (n=42), only 19% reported using condoms. No participants reported a history of injection. In this study of HIV infection among a small sample of transgender people in Iran, no one was HIV positive. Some reasons for these findings can be outlined as a lack of history of intravenous drug use and related behaviors, limited high-risk relationships and behaviors, and the limited number of males among the samples.