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HIV testing can be performed easily
in France’s free and anonymous voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centers.
A recent national survey among men who have sex with men revealed that 73
percent of MSM who had previously tested for HIV had done so in the previous
two years. However, because nothing is known about the risk behaviors of MSM
attending VCT centers, the authors of the current study set out to characterize
the sexual risk behavior of MSM undergoing HIV testing in these centers and to
identify factors associated with inconsistent condom use (ICU).
From March to December in 2009, a
cross-sectional study was conducted in four VCT centers where a
self-administered questionnaire was proposed to all MSM presenting for an HIV
test. ICU was defined as reported non-systematic use of condoms for anal
intercourse with casual male partners.
A total of 287 MSM fully completed
the questionnaire; of these, 44 percent reported ICU in the preceding six
months. Among those who reported previous testing, 63 percent had tested in the
previous two years.
The following factors were found to
be independently associated with ICU: never avoiding one-night stands; no
recent HIV test; reporting difficulty using condoms with an HIV-negative
partner or when under the influence of alcohol and drugs; and reporting a large
number of casual male partners in the previous six months.
The study’s rate of recently tested
men, while high, was lower than that in the last national survey. “Furthermore,
those not recently tested were significantly more likely to report high-risk
behaviors,” the authors concluded. “We therefore recommend that further efforts
be made to adapt the offer of both HIV testing and counseling to meet the
specific needs of hard-to-reach MSM. Accordingly, an additional community-based
offer of HIV testing to reach most at-risk MSM is forthcoming in France.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
