title: Reliability of self-report of HIV status among men who have sex with men in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of self-reported HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  MSM 18 years of age or older were recruited to a multicenter study using respondent-driven sampling. We compared self-report of the HIV test with a rapid HIV test using the kappa coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3859 MSM were recruited, and 39% reported ever having an HIV test; their results were reported and they agreed to a new test. Agreement between self-report and the test was very good (kappa = 0.88).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that self-report of HIV infection is a reliable indicator among MSM.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará, Saúde Comunitária, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Salani Mota
authors.forename: Ligia Regina Franco
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Sansigolo Kerr
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Maeve Brito
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dourado
authors.forename: Mark Drew Crosland
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Sônia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benzaken
authors.forename: Lisangela
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Adão
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merchan-Hamann
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Elizabeth Maciel
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rutherford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult