title: Uptake of Testing for HIV and Syphilis Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Baltimore, Maryland: 2004-2011.
abstract: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Baltimore are at disproportionately high risk for HIV and syphilis infection. Testing and diagnosis are important first steps in receiving treatment and reducing transmission. We analyzed cross-sectional data collected in 2004-2005, 2008, and 2011 among MSM not reporting a previous positive HIV test (n = 1268) in Baltimore, Maryland as part of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System to determine the proportion of men tested for HIV and/or syphilis within the previous 12 months and examine the extent to which opportunities for testing were being missed in health care settings. Within the previous 12 months, 54 % of men had received an HIV test; 31 % had received a syphilis test; and only 23 % of men had received testing for both. Among 979 men who did not receive both tests, 72 % had seen a health care provider in the past year, suggesting missed testing opportunities.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. said.maria@gmail.com.|Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA. said.maria@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: German
authors.affiliation: Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sabriya L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Linton
authors.affiliation: Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blythe
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.|Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.affiliation: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Balaji
authors.affiliation: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oster
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Baltimore; HIV infections/diagnosis; HIV infections/epidemiology; Homosexuality, Male