title: Correlates of prior HIV testing among men who have sex with men in Cameroon: a cross-sectional analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular HIV testing is vital for timely linkage to the HIV care continuum and ensuring the success of behavioral and biomedical interventions to prevent HIV acquisition. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a key population for HIV prevention, treatment, and care efforts globally. This study measures the factors associated with prior HIV testing among MSM in Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2011, 272 and 239 MSM aged ≥ 18 were recruited from Douala and Yaoundé respectively using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) for a cross-sectional surveillance study. Participants completed a structured socio-behavioral survey and were offered HIV and syphilis testing and counseling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of men self-reported ever testing for HIV (81.6%; 413/506) and receiving their last HIV test result (95.4%; 394/413). Testing in the last 12 months was more prevalent in Douala (63.3%; 169/267) compared to Yaoundé (55.9%; 132/236). Median frequency of testing was every 18 months in Douala and every two years in Yaoundé. In multivariate RDS-weighted analysis, correlates of ever testing for HIV in Douala were: having higher than secondary education compared to having secondary education or less (aOR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.32-9.34), ever accessing a community-based HIV service for MSM (aOR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.57-7.24) and having ≥4 male oral or anal sexual partners in the past 12 months (aOR = 2.49, 1.08-5.74). In Yaoundé, having higher than secondary education (aOR = 7.96, 95% CI: 1.31-48.41) was associated with ever testing for HIV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supporting regular HIV testing and linkage to care is important in a context of high HIV prevalence and limited use of condoms and condom-compatible lubricants. Building the capacity of MSM organizations and mainstream health services to deliver affordable, integrated, confidential, and MSM-sensitive HIV testing may assist in effectively engaging more MSM in the HIV treatment cascade. Giving specific attention to MSM who are younger, of lower socioeconomic status and less connected to community-based MSM organizations may increase HIV testing uptake. Given the levels of HIV testing and high HIV prevalence among MSM in Cameroon, optimizing the safe and effective provision and uptake of antiretroviral-based prevention and treatment approaches is paramount in changing the trajectory of the HIV epidemic among these men and within their sexual networks.
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. ju.park@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Ju Nyeong
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papworth
authors.forename: Serge Clotaire
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Billong
authors.forename: Jean Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Elat
authors.forename: Sethson
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kassegne
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moukam
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macauley
authors.forename: Yves Roger
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yomb
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mondoleba
authors.forename: Jules
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eloundou
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeBreton
authors.forename: Sosthenes Charles
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ketende
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baral
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners