title: Factors Associated with Low Levels of HIV Testing among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess risk factors associated with low levels of HIV testing among MSM recruited through respondent driven sampling (RDS) in Brazil. Of 3,617 participants, 48.4% had never tested previously for HIV. A logistic model indicated that younger age, lower socioeconomic class, education, poor HIV/AIDS knowledge, no history of cruising, and having been tested during the study were characteristics independently associated with low levels of previous HIV testing. The HIV testing rate among MSM in Brazil is still low in spite of the availability of a large number services providing universal and free access to HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment. To respond to low utilization, the authors propose a higher priority for testing for key populations such as MSM, expanded education, expanding testing sites and a welcoming and nonjudgmental environment in health services.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, FIOCRUZ, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health Equity, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria Salani
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mark Drew Crosland
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Institute of Collective Health, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dourado
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Comunicação e Informação Científica e Tecnológica em Saúde, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.affiliation: Fundação Alfredo da Mata, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adele Schwartz
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Benzaken
authors.affiliation: Institute of Collective Health, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brignol
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Arthur L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Reingold
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors