Prioritizing HIV services for transgender women and men who have sex with men in Manila, Philippines: An opportunity for HIV provider interventions

Transgender women (TW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are highly affected by the rising HIV epidemic in the Philippines. HIV providers are essential to curbing the epidemic. Between July and August 2017, we conducted one-on-one qualitative interviews with 15 HIV providers in Manila, Philippines. Overall, providers reported tension between willingness to provide care versus actual competencies. Most discussed treating every patient equally regardless of gender or sexual identities. However, many expressed hesitancies in providing HIV services due to (a) not knowing the health needs of TW and MSM, (b) having little to no training in HIV, and (c) difficulty being sensitive to patient gender and sexuality. Although providers were unsure about how to prioritize HIV services for TW and MSM, some expressed interest in learning and engaging these populations in their practices. Our findings suggest the importance of provider-focused interventions to prioritize TW and MSM health needs. Copyright © 2020 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.