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van Griensven F, Phanuphak N, Manopaiboon C, Dunne EF, Colby DJ, Chaiphosri P, Ramautarsing R, Mock PA, Guadamuz TE, Rangsin R, Benjamaneepairoj K, Na Nakorn P, Vannakit R, de Lind van Wijngaarden JW, Avery M, Mills S. HIV prevalence and incidence among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Bangkok, 2014-2018: Outcomes of a consensus development initiative. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262694. [PMID: 35061803 PMCID: PMC8782340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To reach its goal of ending AIDS by 2030, Thailand has adopted antiretroviral treatment as prevention and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) as its core HIV control strategy. However, in the absence of reliable epidemiologic indicators, the impact of these policies on the course of the HIV epidemic in these groups remains unknown. To help answer this question, we formulated an HIV epidemic consensus initiative for Bangkok, Thailand, to analyze epidemiologic and program data and reach agreement between experts and stakeholders on the evolving state of the HIV epidemic among MSM and TGW. A customized Delphi process was used to consult and consolidate viewpoints of experts and stakeholders. Experts presented and discussed HIV prevalence and incidence data from recent and ongoing studies among MSM and TGW in Bangkok (2014 to 2018) during a meeting with stakeholders representing government, donors, and civil society. Agreement about the course of the HIV epidemic among MSM and TGW was attained by voting consensus. Based on presented data, meeting participants agreed that HIV prevalence and incidence had decreased among Bangkok MSM from 2014 to 2018. Despite these declines, HIV prevalence and incidence were found to remain high. This was particularly the case among younger MSM. Participants agreed that there was no evidence for a decrease in HIV prevalence and incidence among Bangkok TGW. Introduction of antiretroviral treatment as prevention and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis may have contributed to these declines. However, HIV prevalence and incidence remained high, and no signs of a decrease were reported among Bangkok TGW. At the current rate of new HIV infections in MSM and TGW, Thailand will not reach its goal of ending AIDS by 2030. This HIV consensus initiative may serve as a model for building agreement and advocacy on epidemiologic and program data and their implications for a large metropolitan city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frits van Griensven
- Institute of HIV Research and Innovation and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Nittaya Phanuphak
- Institute of HIV Research and Innovation and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chomnad Manopaiboon
- Thailand Ministry of Public Health–U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Eileen F. Dunne
- Thailand Ministry of Public Health–U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Donn J. Colby
- Institute of HIV Research and Innovation and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pannee Chaiphosri
- Division of AIDS, TB and STI, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Reshmie Ramautarsing
- Institute of HIV Research and Innovation and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Philip A. Mock
- Thailand Ministry of Public Health–U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Thomas E. Guadamuz
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
| | - Ram Rangsin
- Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Panus Na Nakorn
- United States Agency for International Development, Regional Development Mission for Asia, Bangkok, Thailand
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