Gay and bisexual men's willingness to receive anal Papanicolaou testing.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the willingness of gay and bisexual men, who have high rates of anal cancer that might be prevented through regular screening, to receive anal Papanicolaou tests.


METHODS
We surveyed a national sample of men aged 18 to 59 years who self-identified as gay (n = 236) or bisexual (n = 70).


RESULTS
Most respondents were willing to accept free screening (83%), but fewer would pay for the test (31%; McNemar's chi(2) = 158.02; P < .001). Willingness to pay for screening was higher among men who reported greater worry about getting anal cancer (OR [odds ratio] = 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06, 2.72), higher perceived likelihood of anal cancer (OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.99), and higher income (OR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.18, 3.98), in adjusted analyses. Only 33% (17 of 51) of HIV-positive respondents, who have the highest risk for anal cancer, had received anal Papanicolaou tests.


CONCLUSIONS
Anal cancer screening was highly acceptable to gay and bisexual men, although cost was a major barrier. Efforts to reduce anal cancer disparities should target beliefs about anal cancer and barriers to anal Papanicolaou testing in this population.
Reed
Alison C
AC
Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Reiter
Paul L
PL
Smith
Jennifer S
JS
Palefsky
Joel M
JM
Brewer
Noel T
NT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
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