Title
The Relationship Between Risk Perception and Frequency of HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women, Lima, Peru
Date Issued
01 July 2018
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Leon S.R.
Brown B.
Klausner J.D.
Lindan C.
Publisher(s)
Springer New York LLC
Abstract
HIV infections in Peru are concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW). HIV testing rates among them remain low, delaying entrance into care. We assessed the prevalence of frequent HIV testing (at least every 6 months) and associated factors among 310 MSM and TW who attend sexual health clinics in Lima, Peru, and who reported that they were HIV seronegative or unaware of their status. Only 39% of participants tested frequently, and 22% had never tested; 29% reported that they were at low or no risk for acquiring HIV. Reporting low or no risk for acquiring HIV was associated with frequent testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.53, 95% CI 1.13–2.08); those reporting unprotected anal sex were less likely to test frequently (aPR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.50–0.87). HIV prevalence was 12% and did not vary by risk perception categories. This at-risk population tests infrequently and may not understand the risk of having unprotected sex.
Start page
26
End page
34
Volume
22
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencias socio biomédicas (planificación familiar, salud sexual, efectos políticos y sociales de la investigación biomédica)
Enfermedades infecciosas
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85049927067
PubMed ID
Source
AIDS and Behavior
ISSN of the container
10907165
Sponsor(s)
Acknowledgements This research was supported by US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI099727-01).The authors express appreciation for the assistance of the PICASSO project staff at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, and the staff of the Epicentro Clinic and Barton MoH Center. We also wish to acknowledge all the participants of the PICASSO Cohort. This article was partially prepared as part of the activities of the Masters in Epidemiologic Research offered jointly by the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) and NAMRU-6, Peru. This program is part of the Grant 2D43 TW007393 ‘‘Peru Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Training Consortium’’, sponsored by the Fogarty International Center of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH/FIC). We wish to acknowledge the support from the University of California, San Francisco’s International Traineeships in AIDS Prevention Studies (US National Institute of Mental Health, R25 MH064712) and from the Starr Foundation Scholarship Fund. The authors are thankful for the support and guidance received from the faculty and fellow students of the program.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus