title: Prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men in Chongqing, China, 2006-2009: cross-sectional biological and behavioural surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chongqing, China from 2006 to 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors used a snowball sampling method to perform a 3-month cross-sectional study each year from 2006 to 2009. Every participant was asked to complete a questionnaire about demographic and behavioural characteristics, and blood samples were taken for antibody testing for HIV and syphilis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 953, 1015, 743 and 603 participants were investigated in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. HIV prevalence rates were 10.9%, 12.8%, 10.6% and 19.1%, respectively. The rates increased by 2.3% averagely per year (p<0.001). The HIV prevalence rates were significantly higher than the total population in subjects who were aged more than 40 years, subjects with an educational background of a junior high school level or lower, subjects with a positive syphilis infection or subjects who were recruited from a public bath (p<0.01). The HIV prevalence rates increased on average per year more than 4% in subjects over 30, subjects who worked in the entertainment business, subjects who were married or divorced, subjects with a positive syphilis infection or subjects who were not informed HIV test results. Although most subjects had good HIV/AIDS knowledge awareness (90%), the rate of consistent condom use was low (<37%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HIV is high and is rapidly growing among MSM in Chongqing, China. More appropriate responses are urgently needed to promote a change in the behaviour of MSM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Statistics, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, 30 Gaotanyan Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Yanqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pinyi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rongrong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yazhou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zengwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015483:HIV Antibodies