title: Prevalence of HIV infection and associated risk factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Harbin, P. R. China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of HIV infection and characteristically risk of factors which associated with HIV infection among MSM in Harbin, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A face-to-face questionnaire interview was conducted among 463 Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) who were recruited by the snowball sampling in Harbin from April, 2011 to July, 2011. The questionnaire mainly included demographics, AIDS knowledge, homosexual behavior and the status of intervention in MSM. Blood specimens were obtained and tested for the diagnoses of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Associations between above exposed factors and HIV infection were analyzed using a univariate analysis and forward stepwise logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HIV and syphilis was 9.5 and 14.3%. The awareness rate of AIDS was 86.8%. The rate of unprotected sexual behavior was 57.6% of MSM during the past 6 months. The univariate analysis identified that the age (age ≥ 35 years old), cohabitation, more than 10 years of homosexual behavior and more than 10 homosexual partners were risk factors which associated with the HIV infection, and that protected sex during the past 6 months was a protective factor for the HIV infection. The multivariate analysis identified that the duration of homosexual behavior and commercial sexual behavior were independent risk factors which associated with the HIV infection, and the protected sex during the past 6 months was a protective factor for the HIV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HIV among MSM in Harbin has been rapidly increasing in the past few years. Targeted, tailored, and comprehensive interventions are urgently needed to prevent the HIV infection from MSM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Baowen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shangbo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Hongyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult