The emerging HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men in Tamil Nadu, India: geographic diffusion and bisexual concurrency.
In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain hidden because anal intercourse was criminalized and marriage socially required. We characterize HIV/STI prevalence among MSM in Tamil Nadu. Eligible participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling in eight cities (n = 721). Median age was 28, 34% were married and 40% self-identified as homosexual. Median number of male partners in the prior year was 15; 45% reported any unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). HIV, herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and syphilis prevalence were 9, 26, 2 and 8%, respectively; among married men, all were higher: 14, 32, 3 and 11% (p < 0.01 for HIV and HSV-2). Less education, HSV-2, more male partners, UAI and not having a main male partner were associated with HIV prevalence. The high STI and UAI prevalence may lead to a burgeoning HIV epidemic among MSM, reinforcing the need for focused preventive measures incorporating complex circumstances.
Solomon
Sunil Suhas
SS
YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRGCARE), VHS Adyar, Taramani, Chennai, India. sunil@yrgcare.org
Srikrishnan
Aylur K
AK
Sifakis
Frangiscos
F
Mehta
Shruti H
SH
Vasudevan
Canjeevaram K
CK
Balakrishnan
Pachamuthu
P
Mayer
Kenneth H
KH
Solomon
Suniti
S
Celentano
David D
DD
D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality; D058872:Epidemics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult
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