title: Implications for HIV prevention programs from a serobehavioural survey of men who have sex with men in Vancouver, British Columbia: the ManCount study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined HIV prevalence, awareness of HIV serostatus and HIV risk behaviour among a sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vancouver.
  
  
  METHODS
  MSM > or = 18 years were recruited from August 2008 to February 2009 through community venues. Participants completed a questionnaire and provided a dried blood spot (DBS) for HIV and other STI testing. We performed descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses of key explanatory variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,169 participants completed questionnaires; of these, 1,138 (97.3%) provided DBS specimens suitable for testing. The median age was 33 years (IQR 26-44). A total of 206 (18%) were HIV-positive by DBS, of whom 86% were aware they were positive. HIV seropositivity increased from 7.1% in those < 30 years of age to 19% in those 30-44 years and 34% among those > or = 45 years (p < 0.001 for test of trend). Of the 933 who self-reported as HIV-negative or unknown, 28 (3.0%) tested HIV-positive. Among those not tested for HIV in the previous 2 years, the reasons for not testing differed between participants with undiagnosed HIV infection and those who were HIV-negative. A total of 62% of study participants who self-reported as HIV-negative reported using a condom the last time they had anal sex. The use of risk-reduction measures was reported by 91.1% of all study participants (72% if excluding consistent condom use).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of MSM in Vancouver have adopted behaviours that reduce their HIV-related risk. However, prevention programs must continue to promote condom use, increase HIV testing, and better inform MSM of the value and limitations of other risk-reduction strategies.
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC. dmoore@cfenet.ubc.ca
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanters
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Michelow
authors.forename: Reka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kwag
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trussler
authors.forename: Marissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires