title: HIV testing behaviors of a cohort of HIV-positive racial/ethnic minority YMSM.
abstract: The HIV epidemic in the United States has disproportionately affected young racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, HIV testing rates among young men of color remain low. Within this sample of racial/ethnic minority YMSM (n = 363), the first HIV test was a median of 2 years after men who have sex with men sexual debut. Individuals with less than 1 year between their first negative and first positive HIV test were significantly more likely to identify the reason for their first negative test as being sick (OR = 2.99; 95 % CI 1.23-7.27). This may suggest that these YMSM may have experienced symptoms of acute HIV infection. Of major concern is that many YMSM in our study tested positive for HIV on their first HIV test. Given recommendations for at least annual HIV testing, our findings reveal that medical providers YMSM need to know the importance of regular testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, 2100-W Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA. glp2@gwu.edu
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Hightow-Weidman
authors.forename: Monisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.forename: Sheldon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halpern-Felsher
authors.forename: Angulique Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Outlaw
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wohl
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult