Minority Men Who Have Sex with Men Demonstrate Increased Risk for HIV Transmission

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kirsha S. Gordon, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; E. Jennifer Edelman, Yale University; Amy C. Justice, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; David A. Fiellin, Yale University; KAthleen Akgun, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; Stephen Crystal, Rutgers University; Mona Duggal, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; Joseph L. Goulet, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; David Rimland, Emory University; Kendall J. Bryant, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• Language: English
• Date: 2017-05-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag (Germany)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1590-8
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: AIDS and Behavior
• ISSN: 1090-7165
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 1497
• End Page: 1510
• Grant/Funding Information: This study was funded by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (grant number U10 AA013566, U24 AA020794, and U01 AA020790).
• Keywords: Minority; Science & Technology; UNITED-STATES; MSM; Health; Alcohol-related disorders; SUBSTANCE USE; CONDOM USE; HIV transmission; Social Sciences, Biomedical; Biomedical Social Sciences; COHORT; INFECTION; Social Sciences; BEHAVIOR; BLACK-MEN; PREVALENCE; ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; DISPARITIES; Life Sciences & Biomedicine
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, General

Abstract

Black and Hispanic (minority) MSM have a higher incidence of HIV than white MSM. Multiple sexual partners, being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol during sex, having a detectable HIV-1 RNA, and non-condom use are factors associated with HIV transmission. Using data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, we consider minority status and sexual orientation jointly to characterize and compare these factors. White non-MSM had the lowest prevalence of these factors (p  <  0.001) and were used as the comparator group in calculating odds ratios (OR). Both MSM groups were more likely to report multiple sex partners (white MSM OR 7.50; 95 % CI 5.26, 10.71; minority MSM OR 10.24; 95 % CI 7.44, 14.08), and more likely to be under the influence during sex (white MSM OR 2.15; 95 % CI 1.49, 3.11; minority MSM OR 2.94; 95 % CI 2.16, 4.01). Only minority MSM were more likely to have detectable HIV-1 RNA (OR 1.87; 95 % CI 1.12, 3.11). Both MSM groups were more likely to use condoms than white non-MSM. These analyses suggest that tailored interventions to prevent HIV transmission among minority MSM are needed, with awareness of the potential co-occurrence of risk factors.