title: HIV prevalence and undiagnosed infection among a community sample of gay men in Scotland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine HIV prevalence among men in gay bars in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-complete questionnaires and Orasure oral fluid collection kits (OraSure Technologies, Inc., Bethlehem, PA), to collect samples to be tested anonymously for HIV antibodies, were distributed. A total of 1744 men completed questionnaires (66.1% response rate), and 1350 provided samples (51.6% response rate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV prevalence was 4.4% (95% confidence interval: 3.5% to 5.7%). Positivity was associated with older age (mean of 36 years for positive men vs. 32 years for negative men), having 10 or more anal intercourse (AI) partners (12.8% positive vs. 3.4% of men with <10 AI partners, P < 0.05), and self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the previous year (12.3% positive vs. 3.5% of men without STIs in the previous year; P < 0.05). Of the HIV-positive men, 41.7% were undiagnosed. More than half had had a negative HIV test result and perceived themselves to be HIV-negative. Men who had not used a genitourinary medicine clinic or had an STI in the previous year were more likely to be undiagnosed (65.0% and 52.5%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to assess HIV prevalence among a community sample of gay men in Scotland. There is an urgent need for HIV prevention efforts to address the high level of undiagnosed infection and incorrect assumptions of status.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom. lisa@msoc.mrc.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires