Barcelona 2013
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| Abstract #201 - Risk | ||||
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Session: 18.2: Risk (Symposium) on Monday @ 16.30-18.30 in Teatre Chaired by Susan Kiene, Olivia Castillo Authors: Presenting Author: Mr Wim Vanden Berghe - Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium |
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| Additional Authors: Professor Edwin Wouters , Mrs. Caroline Masquiller, | ||||
| Aim: European men who have sex with men continue to be disproportionally affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several factors are contributing to the rates of new HIV infections among MSM but it has been suggested that travel behaviour and sexual mobility could potentially be a factor in the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among European MSM | ||||
| Method / Issue: Belgian data from the first pan-European internet survey EMIS was used to explore individual characteristics, sexual behaviours and their contextual determinants of MSM who were residing in Belgium at the time of data collection and who reported having had sexual contact abroad in the last 12 months. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals where calculated by means of logistic regression | ||||
| Results / Comments: The total number of eligible men for analysis was 3860. Mean age was 35,2 (SD:11,4) years old. Of Belgian resident MSM, 64,6 % (n:2493) were higher educated, 5.2% (n:200) were unemployed and 45.5% (n:1758) were in a steady relationship. A total of 955 (24,7%) men were expatriates and 43.3% (n:1674) resided in a large city. Mobile men who practiced UAI during their last sexual encounter abroad were less likely to be living in a large city (OR:0.62, 95% CI:0.45-0,86, p<0.01) and more likely to be HIV positive (OR: 6.20, 95% CI:4.23-9.06, p<0.001) ), to have tested HIV positive in the last 12 months (OR:3.07, 95% CI:1.07-8.80, p<0.05), to have been diagnosed with any STI in the last 12 months (OR:2.55; 95% CI:1.77-3.67, p<0.05), to have used partydrugs (OR:2.22, 95% CI :1.59-3.09, p<0.001), poppers (OR:1.52, 95% CI:1.07-2.14, p<0.001) and erection enhancing substances (OR:2.23, 95% CI:1.61-3.09, p<0.001) compared to MSM who did not have UAI with their last sexual partner abroad. Men having had UAI in the last 12 months were more likely to have done so in a neighbouring country of Belgium (OR: 1.66, 95% CI:1.21-2.29, p<0.001). Different sexual behavioural patterns were identified according to HIV test status among sexually mobile men. | ||||
| Discussion: The results of this EMIS study provide evidence for the role of international mobility and sexual behavior while travelling in the spread of HIV and STI among men who have sex with men in Europe. As the epidemiology of HIV infection among Belgian MSM mirrors developments in its neighboring countries, the findings underline the need for development of cross-border HIV and STI interventions with coherent messages and prevention policies for MSM. Systematic cross-border cooperation and exchange of epidemiological and behavioural data for the development of prevention activities for MSM at a regional European level should inform future prevention effort for the target population | ||||
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