Reasons for this disproportionate impact on young MSM of color are unclear, but include high community prevalence of HIV, social and structural barriers to routine screening and treatment (e.g., less health insurance, higher unemployment, and higher rate of incarceration), and stigma and homophobia. 5Īlthough young non-Hispanic black MSM do not engage in risky behaviors more than young non-Hispanic white or Hispanic men, 6 they are more vulnerable to becoming HIV-infected than MSM from other racial/ethnic groups. 4 People unaware of their HIV infection transmit approximately half of incident HIV infections.
3 A recent analysis reported that 44% of MSM in 21 cities were unaware of their infection non-Hispanic black MSM comprised 59% of that group. 2 Although young non-Hispanic black and Hispanic MSM are more likely to report being tested, they are also more likely to be unaware of an HIV infection than their white counterparts. 1 Among people living with HIV, young non-Hispanic black men who have sex with men (MSM) are the only group with significant increases in incident HIV cases in recent years. This venue-based HIV testing approach at nonclinical sociocultural events is an additional strategy for HIV prevention goals to increase the number of people aware of their HIV infection with subsequent linkage to HIV care.Īn estimated 20% of 1.2 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States are unaware of their HIV infection.
HIV testing at Gay Pride events reaches young, previously untested MSM. Factors associated with no previous HIV test included young age (13–24 years) (adjusted odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.9, 6.5) and non-Hispanic black (AOR=3.2, 95% CI 1.6, 6.4) or Hispanic (AOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2, 6.3) race/ethnicity. One hundred twenty-eight (11.9%) had never tested for HIV 77 (7.2%) were preliminarily positive, with 15 (19.5%) being first-time testers. Of those reporting HIV testing history, 550 (51.3%) were non-Hispanic black and 404 (37.7%) were aged <25 years. We tested 1,312 MSM of those MSM, 1,072 (81.7%) reported HIV testing history. We offered rapid HIV testing at social events frequented by young men who have sex with men (MSM), a group disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic.