Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Sexual Behavior Among Men Who have Sex with Women, Men, and Hijras in Mumbai, India—Multiple Sexual Risks

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe the same-sex partnerships and sexual risk behavior of men attending sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics in Mumbai, India. The HIV prevalence among 2,381 men sampled was 14%; 62% had a documented STI. Almost all men reported sex with women; additionally, 13% also reported having sex with other men, 13% reported sex with Hijras (male-to-female transgenders), and 11% had sex with all 3 genders. Men who had sex with men and/or Hijras as well as women, reported having greater numbers of partners, including female sex workers (FSW), and were more likely to engage in insertive anal and oral sex with women. The prevalence of HIV was higher among men having sex with Hijras (14%) or with all 3 genders (13%) than among men having sex with men and women (8%). A high proportion of men who attend STI clinics in Mumbai are behaviorally bi- or tri-sexual and have multiple partners with whom they engage in risky sex. STI/HIV prevention programs should not assume that men only have sex with women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aggarwal, O., Sharma, A. K., & Chhabra, P. (2000). Study in sexuality of medical college students in India. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 26(3), 226–229.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asthana, S., & Oostvogels, R. (2001). The social construction of male ‘homosexuality’ in India: Implications for HIV transmission and prevention. Social Science and Medicine, 52(5), 707–721.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bentley, M. E., Spratt, K., Shepherd, M. E., Gangakhedkar, R. R., Thilikavathi, S., & Bollinger, R. C. et al. (1998). HIV testing and counseling among men attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in Pune, India: changes in condom use and sexual behavior over time. AIDS, 12(14), 1869–1877.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, A. D., Fisher, J. D., & Benziger, T. J. (2001). Determinants of HIV risk among Indian truck drivers. Social Science and Medicine, 53(11), 1413–1426.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2002). Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2002: Centers for disease control and prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB prevention, Division of sexually transmitted diseases prevention.

  • Chakrapani, V., Row Kavi, A., Gupta, R., Ramakrishnan, L., Rappoport, C., & Raghavan, S. (2002). HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) in India: Review of current scenario and recommendations: Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection In India.

  • Dandona, L., Dandona, R., Gutierrez, J. P., Kumar, G. A., McPherson, S., & Bertozzi, S. M. (2005). Sex behaviour of men who have sex with men and risk of HIV in Andhra Pradesh, India. AIDS, 19(6), 611–619.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi, M., & Misra, S. P. (1997). Motilal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad. National Medical Journal of India, 10(1), 43–44.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Girault, P., Saidel, T., Song, N., de Lind Van Wijngaarden, J. W., Dallabetta, G., & Stuer, F. et al. (2004). HIV, STIs, and sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. AIDS Education and Prevention, 16(1), 31–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Go, V. F., Srikrishnan, A. K., Sivaram, S., Murugavel, G. K., Galai, N., & Johnson, S. C. et al. (2004). High HIV prevalence and risk behaviors in men who have sex with men in Chennai, India. JAIDS, 35(3), 314–319.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Humsafar (2006). The Humsafar trust. Retrieved 07 March, 2006, from http://webbingsystems.com/humsafar/aboutus.html.

  • Khan, S. (2001). Culture, sexualities, and identities: men who have sex with men in India. Journal of Homosexuality, 40(3–4), 99–115.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumta, S., Setia, M., Jerajani, H., Mathur, M., RaoKAvi, A., & Lindan, C. (2002). Men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender (TG) in Mumbai: a critical emerging risk group for HIV and STIs in India. Paper presented at The XIV International AIDS Conference, 2002, Barcelona, Spain.

  • Madhivanan, P., Hernandez, A., Gogate, A., Stein, E., Gregorich, S., & Setia M. et al. (2005). Alcohol use by men is a risk factor for the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections and human immunodeficiency virus from female sex workers in Mumbai, India. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 32(11), 685–690.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • NACO (2002). National baseline high risk and bridge population behavioural surveillance survey–2002 Part-II (MSM and IDUs). Retrieved 19 September, 2005, from http://www.naco.nic.in.

  • NACO (2004). Annual report 2002–2004. Retrieved 19 September, 2005, from http://www.naco.nic.in.

  • NACO (2006). Facts and figures 1986 to 31st July, 2005. Retrieved 07 February, 2006, from http://www.naco.nic.in.

  • Rao, K. S., Pilli, R. D., Rao, A. S., & Chalam, P. S. (1999). Sexual lifestyle of long distance lorry drivers in India: Questionnaire survey. British Medical Journal, 318(7177), 162–163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues, J. J., Mehendale, S. M., Shepherd, M. E., Divekar, A. D., Gangakhedkar, R. R., & Quinn, T. C. et al. (1995). Risk factors for HIV infection in people attending clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in India. British Medical Journal, 311(7000), 283–286.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, B. E., Rehman, F., Malaisamy, M., Dilip, M., Suhadev, M., & Priyadarsini, P. et al. (2004). A study of condom acceptability among men in an urban population in South India. AIDS and Behavior, 8(2), 215–220.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • UNAIDS (2004, 10th Oct 2004). 2004 report in the global AIDS epidemic: 4th global report. Retrieved 20 September, 2005, from www.unaids.org.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants who generously gave their time to participate in this research, and the staff and management of the CAPS Mumbai research study team in LTMG Hospital and STD Clinic, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai, India. We would also like to thank Michelle Yu for assistance in data management and table generation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christina P. Lindan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hernandez, A.L., Lindan, C.P., Mathur, M. et al. Sexual Behavior Among Men Who have Sex with Women, Men, and Hijras in Mumbai, India—Multiple Sexual Risks. AIDS Behav 10 (Suppl 1), 5–16 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-006-9129-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-006-9129-z

Keywords

Navigation