Prevalence of HIV Infection and Prior HIV Testing among Young Men Who have Sex with Men. The Baltimore Young Men’s Survey

• Published in: AIDS and behavior Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 904 - 912
• Main Authors: Sifakis, Frangiscos, Hylton, John B., Flynn, Colin, Solomon, Liza, MacKellar, Duncan A., Valleroy, Linda A., Celentano, David D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-08-2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Baltimore - epidemiology; Baltimore, Maryland; Continental Population Groups - statistics & numerical data; Counseling; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnostic tests; Disease transmission; Epidemiology; Gays & lesbians; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Psychology; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Males; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Methodology (Data Collection); Multivariate analysis; Original Research; Prevalence; Public Health; Racial Differences; Risk; Risk Factors; Risk-Taking; Sexual Behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Surveys and Questionnaires; Venereal Diseases; Young Adult; Young adults; Baltimore; USA, Maryland, Baltimore; Men who have sex with men; HIV testing; Young Men’s Survey; Time-space sampling; Epidemiology; HIV prevalence; Vanue-based sampling
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-007-9317-5

Data are presented from the Baltimore Young Men’s Survey, a cross-sectional, venue-based sample survey of risks associated with HIV and report of a prior HIV test, conducted between 1996 and 2000, and enrolling 843 young men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 15–29 years. HIV prevalence was 12.1% overall and racial disparities in HIV prevalence were pronounced (range, 2.9% among non-Hispanic whites to 27.1% among non-Hispanic blacks). Risks independently associated with being HIV-positive were: being between 26 and 29 years of age, being non-Hispanic black or of other/mixed race, having had 20 or more lifetime male sex partners, having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and not being currently enrolled in school. The majority of participants (78.9%) reported a prior HIV test. In multivariate analysis, being older, having had five or more lifetime male sex partners, having had anal intercourse with males, reporting an STD diagnosis, and reporting recent unprotected anal sex were associated with report of a prior HIV test. Prevention efforts must address high HIV prevalence among young non-Hispanic black MSM and must make testing and effective counseling for young MSM readily available.