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The first attention
center for transgender population in Mexico City: experiencies and challenges
for transgender health attention
R. Jara Espino1, F.J. Arellano-Ayala2
1Clinica Especializada en HIV/AIDS Condesa (Mexico City AIDS Program), Transgender Unit, Mexico City, Mexico, 2Clinica Especializada en HIV/AIDS Condesa (Mexico City AIDS Program), Prevention Department, Mexico City, Mexico
Issues: In Mexico the
transgender population is one of the most stigmatized and discriminated
population. Transgender people have higher HIV and STI´s prevalence and other
important health issues, as the injection of substances and the hormonal
therapy without medical supervision. On other hand they are exposed to the
authorities extortion and the violence in the streets; there is not an estimation
or census about the number of transgender persons in the city.
Description: With the
aim to improve the access to health attention for transgender persons, in July
2009 the Mexico City AIDS Program launched the first center for health
attention for transgender population in Mexico and with the secondary objective
to estimate the number of transgender persons in the city. Currently, has
attended more than 132 transgender persons (before attended just 122
transgender people) between 15 to 60 years old (age average: 31 years old), most
of them are HIV positive (82 of 132 ) and 110 (110 of 132) receive hormonal
therapy. One important find, is that more than 80% of this sample use the
hormonal therapy without medical supervision with important implications for
their health. Other relevant health issue is the important number of them (60%)
who uses mineral and industrial oil with the purpose to feminize their apparel.
Lessons learned: Sensible
and specialized personnel in hormonal therapy, gender and sexology is crucial
for this population. It is also important to provide psychological and psychiatrically
supervision during all the complex process of sex-reassignment. Is important
too, to provide to this population the knowledge and the skills to avoid some harmful
behaviors. NGOs and transgender community was involved at the early steps of
the project, to give counsel and recruiting people.
Next steps: To
enlarge the medical attention with more personnel and increase the
psychological and psychiatrically support.
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