HIV infection status and influencing factors in men who have sex with men in Taizhou, Zhejiang, 2016–2019

ObjectiveTo understand the infection status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, from 2016 to 2019.

MethodsThe HIV infection status, AIDS related knowledge awareness and related behaviors in MSM in Taizhou were analyzed using the sentinel surveillance data from 2016 to 2019. Influencing factors of HIV infection were analyzed by multivariate Logistic analysis.

ResultsA total of 1 740 MSM were investigated in Taizhou from 2016 to 2019, the overall awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge was 88.2%, showing an increase trend in the past four years (Z=2.205, P=0.028). The MSM who had homosexual anal sex in the past 6 months accounted for 79.0%, and among these MSM, 57.1% used condoms at each anal sex, the condom use rate increased over the 4 years (Z=2.742, P=0.006). The overall HIV antibody positive rate was 11.1%, and there was no significant difference in HIV antibody positive rate between 2016 and 2019 (Z=−1.481, P=0.138). Logistic regression analysis showed that homosexual anal sex, being from other provinces and syphilis status in the past 6 months were the risk factors for HIV infection, but education level of college or above, condom use at each homosexual anal sex in the past 6 months, heterosexual sex in the past 6 months and HIV intervention service were the protective factors for HIV infection (P<0.05).

ConclusionThe HIV infection rate and the prevalence of related risk behaviors in MSM in Taizhou was still high from 2016 to 2019, and risk for syphilis existed. The intervention and management for HIV infection in MSM should be further strengthened.