Do Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in the United States Understand that HIV Serodiscordance is Possible?

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Bradley Wagenaar, Emory University; Kristina Grabbe, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Robert Stephenson, Emory University; Christine Khosropour, Emory University; Patrick S Sullivan, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2013
• Publisher: Bentham Open
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © Wagenaar et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://benthamscience.com/open/openaccess.php?toaidj/articles/V007/TOAIDJ130513001.htm
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Open AIDS Journal
• ISSN: 1874-6136
• Volume: 7
• Start Page: 14
• End Page: 16
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the Center for AIDS Research at Emory University (P30 AI050409) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (RC1MD004370).
• Keywords: HIV knowledge; CVCT; epidemiology; HIV/AIDS; HIV serodiscordance
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Pathology; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

Background Little is currently known about the extent to which US MSM understand the possibility that a long-term sex partner can have an HIV status different than one’s own status. This information is important in the adaptation of Couples Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing (CVCT) for US MSM. Methods 428 US MSM completed an online survey using MySpace.com from March-April, 2009. Results Of 426 MSM with complete data, 21.1% (90) were not definitively aware that serodiscordance is possible. Factors associated with a lack of understanding that serodiscordance is possible were: never having tested for HIV (OR: 2.0; CI: 1.1, 3.8), compared to testing 0-6 months previously and having a high school education or less (OR: 2.2; CI: 1.1, 4.5), compared to men who had completed at least some college. Conclusions A large proportion of young, internet-using MSM in the United States may not understand that HIV serodiscordance is possible within sexual partnerships. Based on these results, we recommend that CVCT provided to male couples in the United States should include education on HIV serodiscordance.