In Nigeria, people who identify as sexual or gender minorities (SGM) face much higher rates of HIV compared to the general population—between four and ten times higher. To better support this community, it’s important to understand what makes them more vulnerable to HIV, especially since they often face discrimination and hostility.

A new article in AIDS and Behavior co-authored by SIS Professor Rachel Sullivan Robinson in looked at how different challenges—such as discrimination, financial struggles, depression, substance use, violence from partners, and police violence—combine to increase the risk of HIV among SGM individuals in Abuja, Nigeria. The researchers gathered information from over 500 people through surveys and also held group discussions to hear directly from the community.

The study found that these challenges are closely linked and tend to happen together, creating a “syndemic": multiple problems feeding into each other and making health outcomes worse. For example, people facing more of these challenges were more likely to have HIV. The study also highlighted that discrimination, financial insecurity, and depression are particularly important issues for this group.

Overall, the findings suggest that to improve health outcomes for SGM people in Nigeria, efforts need to go beyond just focusing on individuals. Instead, we need broad changes in society and policies that reduce discrimination, improve economic opportunities, and protect against violence. This approach could help reduce HIV and improve the well-being of sexual and gender minorities.

Learn more and read the full article here, which is available open access.