title: HIV testing practices and the potential role of HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men in Mexico.
abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize HIV testing practices among men who have sex with men in Mexico and intention to use HIV self-testing. In 2012, members of one of the largest social/sexual networking websites for men who have sex with men in Latin America completed an anonymous online survey. This analysis was restricted to HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men residing in Mexico. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to assess factors associated with HIV testing and intention to use a HIV self-test. Of 4537 respondents, 70.9% reported ever having a HIV test, of whom 75.5% reported testing at least yearly. The majority (94.3%) indicated that they would use a HIV home self-test if it were available. Participants identifying as bisexual less often reported ever HIV testing compared to those identifying as gay/homosexual (adjusted odds ratio = 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.44-0.62). Having a physical exam in the past year was associated with increased ever HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio = 4.35, 95% confidence interval: 3.73-5.07), but associated with decreased interest in HIV self-testing (adjusted odds ratio = 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.48-0.89). The high intention to use HIV home self-testing supports the use of this method as an acceptable alternative to clinic- or hospital-based HIV testing.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Oldenburg
authors.affiliation: 2 The Fenway Institute, Fenway Community Health, Boston, MA, USA.|3 Departments of Behavioral & Social Health Sciences and Epidemiology and the Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Katie B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Biello
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Amaya G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Perez-Brumer
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenberger
authors.affiliation: 6 Online Buddies, Inc, OLB Research Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: 2 The Fenway Institute, Fenway Community Health, Boston, MA, USA.|7 Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.|8 Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.|2 The Fenway Institute, Fenway Community Health, Boston, MA, USA.|3 Departments of Behavioral & Social Health Sciences and Epidemiology and the Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mimiaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012648:Self Care; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities; D060756:Social Networking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV self-test; HIV testing; Men who have sex with men; Mexico