title: Awareness and utilization of HIV services of an AIDS community-based organization in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
abstract: In Malaysia, homosexuality is illegal; little is known about access to HIV prevention services among Malaysian men who have sex with men (MSM). We analysed PT Foundation outreach data to describe the profiles among MSM who accessed PT Foundation services and to examine factors associated with being aware of PT Foundation and having visited the organization. A survey was administered during weekly outreach throughout Kuala Lumpur from March-December 2012. Pearson's Chi square tests were used to compare demographic and behavioural characteristics of participants who were and were not aware of the PT Foundation. Binary logistic regression was used to identify correlates of MSM visiting the PT Foundation among those who had heard of the organization. Of 614 MSM, this study found significantly higher awareness of the PT Foundation among MSM who perceived they had "good" HIV knowledge (p = .026) and participants who reported always using condoms (p = .009). MSM who reported being paid for sex were 2.81 times as likely to visit the PT Foundation compared to men who did not. A subgroup of MSM known to be at high risk for HIV infection is accessing prevention services. Future studies should uncover motivations and barriers of accessing these services among MSM in Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, US Fulbright Fellow, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia dtdangerfield@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Derek T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dangerfield
authors.affiliation: Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, US Fulbright Fellow, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Patti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gravitt
authors.affiliation: Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, US Fulbright Fellow, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rompalo
authors.affiliation: PT Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.affiliation: PT Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sin H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: AIDS; HIV; MSM; Malaysia; awareness; barriers to access; community-based organizations; men who have sex with men; services; sexual behaviour