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Rates of Testing for HIV in the Presence of Serodiscordant UAI Among HIV-Negative Gay Men in Committed Relationships

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Abstract

We examined testing rates for HIV-negative men (N = 752) from a sample of gay male couples. Approximately half (52 %) tested in the past year. Among men who had engaged in sexual risk behavior in the past 3 months, 27 % tested within that period and 65 % within the past year. For men in concordant relationships these rates were 25 and 60 %, for men in serodiscordant relationships they were 34 and 72 %. MSM in primary relationships are testing at lower rates than the general MSM population, even after potential exposure to HIV. Testing and prevention messages for MSM should factor in relationship status.

Resumen

En este artículo examinamos tasas de testeo para hombres VIH negativos (N = 752) de una muestra de parejas de hombres gay. Aproximadamente la mitad (52 %) de los hombres se había hecho la prueba del VIH en el último año. Entre los hombres que habían tenido comportamientos sexuales de riesgo en los últimos tres meses, un 27 % se había hecho la prueba dentro de ese período y un 65 % dentro del último año. Para los hombres en relaciones concordantes las tasas de testeo eran de 25 % y 60 %, mientras que para hombres en relaciones discordantes eran de 34 % y 72 %. Las tasas de testeo para el VIH en HSH en relaciones primarias son menores que para la población general de HSH, aun después de exposición potencial al VIH. Los mensajes de prevención y tratamiento dirigidos a HSH deben tomar en cuenta si estos están o no en una relación de pareja.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants RO1 MH 75598 and RO1 MH 65141 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The authors thank the participants for sharing their experiences and their time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research and Education on Gender and Sexuality, San Francisco State University, 835 Market Street, Suite 517, San Francisco, CA, 94103, USA

    Deepalika Chakravarty & Colleen C. Hoff

  2. Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Deepalika Chakravarty, Torsten B. Neilands & Lynae A. Darbes

Authors
  1. Deepalika Chakravarty
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  2. Colleen C. Hoff
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  3. Torsten B. Neilands
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  4. Lynae A. Darbes
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Correspondence to Deepalika Chakravarty.

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Chakravarty, D., Hoff, C.C., Neilands, T.B. et al. Rates of Testing for HIV in the Presence of Serodiscordant UAI Among HIV-Negative Gay Men in Committed Relationships. AIDS Behav 16, 1944–1948 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0181-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0181-6

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