title: Risk Behaviors and Testing History of African American MSM: Implications for Prevention.
abstract: Knowledge of HIV status is an important step in prevention efforts especially for at risk populations like MSM. CDC recommends that MSM be tested at least annually. There is a limited information on the demographics and risk behaviors of MSM who never tested or test infrequently. This study examined the demographic characteristics, risk behaviors, and HIV status of African American MSM who reported never previously testing for HIV, testing > 12 months prior, or testing within the last 12 months from a testing evaluation study in Washington, D.C.
  
  
  
  Eligibility requirements were: 18-64 years old; Black/African American; biologically male; and self-reported oral and/or anal sex with a man in the past six months. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used.
  
  
  
  Men who never tested had greater odds of being 25-34 years old, identifying as bisexual or heterosexual and reporting condomless sex with female and male partners. In the multivariate model, men who never tested or tested > 12 months prior to the study had a greater likelihood of having a BS degree, and being age 35 or over. Being newly identified as HIV-positive was associated with never testing and testing > 12 months prior, but was significant in the multivariate model only for never testing.
  
  
  
  Results suggest prevention strategies should target risk behaviors rather than orientation and engage older men. Future studies should identify factors associated with risky sexual behaviors for men who never test or test infrequently in order to inform prevention interventions.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE MS D-21, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. Electronic address: zyr1@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Donna Hubbard
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: McCree
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE MS D-21, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates, 4550 Montgomery Avenue, 8th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20866, USA.
authors.forename: Chanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baytop
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates, 4550 Montgomery Avenue, 8th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20866, USA.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Royal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004219:District of Columbia; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African American; HIV; MSM; Social network strategy; Testing