HIV infection status and influencing factors in men who have sex with men receiving the first and non-first HIV testing in Taizhou, Zhejiang, 2016–2020

  Objective  To understand the HIV infection status and the influencing factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) receiving the first and non-first HIV-test in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, from 2016 to 2020.

  Methods  A cross-sectional study was conducted in MSM selected through through snowball sampling, health education and field recruitment in Taizhou during 2016–2020 according to the requirements of the national HIV sentinel surveillance protocol.

  Results  A total of 1 870 MSM with mean age of (34.99±13.39) years were surveyed and included in the analysis, in whom, 27.4% (505/1 870) received the first HIV testing in this survey. The positive rates of HIV in the MSM receiving the first and non-first HIV testing were 13.7% and 8.4%, respectively, the difference was significant ( χ²=11.40, P<0.001). Among MSM who received the first HIV testing, the HIV positive rate was lower in those with senor high school, secondary technical school and college and higher education levels than in those with junior high school or lower education levels (OR=0.46, 95% CI: 0.23–0.92, P=0.029; OR=0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.84, P=0.017) and in those without STD diagnoses than in those with STD diagnosis in last year STD (OR=0.29, 95% CI: 0.09–0.92, P=0.036), but the HIV positive rate was higher in samples from volunteer consulting and surveillance sites than in samples obtained at bars/dance clubs/tea rooms/clubs (OR=2.35, 95% CI: 1.21–4.56, P=0.011) and in MSM who received no HIV prevention services than in those who received HIV prevention services (OR=1.83, 95% CI: 1.07–3.11, P=0.026).

  Conclusion  The risk of HIV infection was higher in MSM who received HIV testing for the first time in Taizhou. It is necessary to strengthen the HIV counseling and sentinel surveillance for MSM with lower education level and history of STDs.