"They treat us equally, they guide us": peer navigation for HIV care linkage in men who have sex with men and transgender women in Lima, Peru.

Abstract

Objective.: To analyze the elements of a navigation program in Lima that facilitated the linkage of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) with HIV care.

Material and methods.: We conducted interviews with 20 users receiving navigation services and 4 peer navigators living with HIV.

Results.: The work of the navigators contributed to filling a gap in HIV services, providing personalized accompaniment to navigate the health care system and facilitating the process of engaging with care.

Conclusions.: Patient navigation based on the development of users' strengths can be a useful and feasible strategy to improve linkage to medical care for MSM and TW in Peru, incorporating peer navigators to health teams, horizontality in treatment and public health strategies with greater community participation.

Motivation for the study. In Peru, men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) present low levels of linkage to HIV medical care, which is crucial to consider it a chronic disease, guarantee a healthy life and prevent transmission. Main findings. We implemented a program with specialized personnel called peer navigators, which helped MSM and TW to identify personal strengths and become autonomous within a fragmented and unfriendly health system. Implications. Incorporating peer navigators is a useful and feasible strategy that contributed to filling a gap in HIV care services, providing accompaniment, education and horizontal treatment to improve linkage to medical care for MSM and TW.