Operation Research Among Transgender

Operational Research to enhance access of Aravani (Male to Female Transgender) communities to STI clinics at Government Hospitals, Chennai

Study Population: Aravani ( Male to Female Transgender)

Study Area:

Study Period: March 21st July - 21st (4 Months)

Goals:

To enhance the uptake of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) treatment services for the Aravani (Male to Female Transgender) community at government institutions.

Objectives:

To document the treatment providing patterns of STI health care providers in Chennai's government hospitals with respect to the Aravani community.

• To document and analyze the reasons for variation in treatment-seeking behavior among Aravanis.
  
• To document the community prevalence of common STIs such as Syphilis , Hepatitis-B, Hepatitis-C, Neisseria gonorrhea, Chlamydia trachomatis, Herpes simplex virus 1 & 2 (HSV – 1 & 2) and HIV in Chennai's Aravani population.
• To document sexual risk behaviors, psychosocial, cultural/environmental and economic factors influencing high-risk sexual behaviors among the Aravani (MtF transgender) population.

Methodology:

• Interviews with STI health care providers at the three tertiary government hospitals, Chennai, with respect to treatment providing patterns for Aravanis.
• Focus Group Discussions with Aravani community, residing in Chennai to understand their, treatment seeking behaviors.
• Interviews with Aravanis residing in Chennai to understand their sexual practices, psych-social statusl, cultural/environmental, and economic factors.
• Documenting clinical and laboratory evidence for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), including HIV.

Participating Organisations/ Institutions:

• Tamil Nadu Aravanigal Association
• Social Welfare Association for Men
• Sahodaran
• Departments of Sexually Transmitted Diseases at Stanley Medical College Hospital, Royapettah Hospital, and Madras Medical College Hospital.
• Department of Microbiology, Dr. ALM. Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences
  

Funding organization: Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society

Contact Information: For more information on this project email P.S. Saravanamurthy