title: Central and east European migrant men who have sex with men: an exploration of sexual risk in the U.K.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since May 2004, 10 central and east European (CEE) countries have joined the European Union. While HIV rates remain low among men who have sex with men (MSM) in CEE countries, there is no research on the sexual behaviour of CEE MSM in the U.K.
  
  
  METHODS
  CEE MSM living in the U.K. (n=691) were recruited for an online questionnaire by two popular MSM websites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of men had arrived in the U.K. since May 2004. A previous sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis was reported by 30.7%, and 4.8% reported being HIV positive, the majority diagnosed in the U.K. Unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner of unknown or discordant HIV status was reported by 22.8%. Men who had been in the U.K. for longer (>5 years vs. <1 year) reported more partners in the past 5 years (67.2% vs. 50.4% had >10 partners, p < 0.001) and were less likely to report their most recent partner was from their home country (14.9% vs. 33.6%, p < 0.001). Among migrant CEE MSM living in London, 15.4% had been paid for sex in the U.K. and 41.5% had taken recreational drugs in the past year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEE MSM in the U.K. are at risk for the acquisition and transmission of STI and HIV through unprotected anal intercourse with non-concordant casual partners. Sexual mixing with men from other countries, commercial sex and increased partner numbers may introduce additional risk. This has important implications for the cross-border transmission of infections between the U.K. and CEE countries.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research, Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Alison R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mole
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parutis
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gerry
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imrie
authors.forename: Fiona M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014686:Venereology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult