National Transgender HIV/AIDS Testing day- Panel at the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina

National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) is observed on April 18.

NTHTD is a day to recognize the importance of routine HIV testing, status awareness and continued focus on HIV prevention and treatment efforts among transgender and gender non-binary people. The initiative encourages community-based organizations, health jurisdictions and HIV prevention programs to host local transgender HIV testing community events and/or develop trans-specific HIV testing campaign materials and resources.

Male to Female Trans Women who have sex with men are historically categorized as MSM in HIV data. This makes it impossible to calculate the rate of HIV transmission among Trans Women because gender identity is not accounted for by the US Census Bureau. And there are compounding factors that make the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission at higher rates such as drug use, injection of hormones without medical supervision, survival sex, and a lack of engagement in the health care system due to barriers, discrimination and stigma.

#HIV #Transgender #Health