Comparison of HIV Status Between Transgender Women and Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Meta-Analysis

As key population groups in HIV infection, transgender women (TGW) share the same oral and anal sexual practices with men who have sex with men (MSM). However, the differences in HIV rates between the two groups are still unclear. In our study, relevant publications were electronically searched in three databases. After excluding irrelevant studies based on review of the title, abstract, and full text, a total of 24 studies, including 37,521 cases, were identified. There were no significant differences between TGW and MSM regarding HIV status and condom use. However, TGW had a higher proportion of high-risk behaviors, including exchanges of sex, forced sex, receptive intercourse, and sex work experience. Moreover, most curable sexually transmitted diseases were more prevalent in the TGW group compared to MSM. Although TGW showed a higher proportion of high-risk behavior and sexually transmitted disease incidence, their HIV incidence was the same as that for MSM.