Affiliations 

  • 1 Institute of HIV Research and Innovation, 319 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, 1873 Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, Mission Hall, Box 1224, 550 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; and Corresponding author. Email: fritsvg@gmail.com
  • 2 Independent consultant
  • 3 Love Yourself Foundation, 858 Blumentritt Street, Manila 1008, Philippines
  • 4 FHI 360 Cambodia, Phnom Penh Center, Building F, Samdach Sothearos Boulevard (3), Phnom Penh HW3M+9H, Cambodia
  • 5 Infectious Diseases Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
  • 6 Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
  • 7 FHI 360 Asia-Pacific Regional Office, 9 Witthayu Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
  • 8 Institute of HIV Research and Innovation, 319 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; and Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, 1873 Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Sex Health, 2021 03;18(1):21-30.
PMID: 33632379 DOI: 10.1071/SH20134

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Western urban areas have seen substantive decreases in new diagnoses of HIV infection. This paper explores whether such declines are present among MSM and transgender women (TGW) in Southeast Asia and discusses implications for HIV policies and programming. A scoping review was conducted of scientific publications and selected documents regarding the spread of HIV infection among MSM and TGW in major urban centres of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Continued high HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM are found in integrated behavioural and biological surveillance (IBBS) and research studies. HIV prevalence among MSM under IBBS decreased only in Bangkok from 28.6% in 2014 to 10.3% in 2018, whereas it was increasing in Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane, and Phnom Penh. HIV/AIDS case reports regarding new HIV infection diagnoses among MSM have started to decrease in Singapore since 2011 and have been plateauing in Metropolitan Manila since 2017. Where data were available, it was found that HIV prevalence among TGW was high and if IBBS was conducted, it was increasing. HIV prevalence among TGW under IBBS in Jakarta had risen to 34.0% (2015) and 14.0% (2019) in Phnom Penh. These findings suggest that most ASEAN member states have so far failed to effectively implement and scale-up scientifically proven biomedical HIV prevention measures and counter stigma and discrimination that impedes access to appropriate HIV prevention and treatment services for MSM and TGW.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.