title: Psycho-social Correlates of Condom Use and HIV Testing among MSM Refugees in Beirut, Lebanon.
abstract: MSM refugees have to deal with personal challenges and social/structural adversaries based on their refugee status on top of their sexual identity. To better customize interventions beside this population, we explored psycho-social and structural correlates of condom use and HIV testing in Lebanon by surveying and testing 150 participants. 67 % self-identified as gay. 84.6 % reported any unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with men in the prior 3 months. Those who engaged in UAI, were lest comfortable with a doctor, didn't know where to get free HIV testing, experienced discrimination based on their refugee status and spent more time with their refugee peers, were less inclined to have seen a doctor in the past 12 month or knew where to get free HIV testing. Ever having been HIV tested was associated with being comfortable with medical doctors, knowing where to get HIV testing and spending time with other peer refugees. HIV prevention and testing promotion efforts targeting MSM refugees need to account for structural barriers, while fighting discrimination is crucial for a healthy sexual identity development.
authors.affiliation: M-Coalition, Coalition of MSM and HIV activists in the MENA region, Beirut, Lebanon. tohme.johnny@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6021-413X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tohme
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.|Graduate School of Public Health, Center for LGBT Health Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, Center for LGBT Health Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.|Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Mackey R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.|Graduate School of Public Health, Center for LGBT Health Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063508:Social Discrimination; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Condom use; HIV; HIV testing; Lebanon; MENA region; MSM; Middle East; Refugees