Abstract
BackgroundKnowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus can influence sexual behavior and inform harm-reduction strategies. We sought to determine how often Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) knew the HIV serostatus of their sex partners, if this knowledge was associated with any predictive factors or unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), and if UAI was associated with partner serostatus.MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2008 Peruvian MSM Sentinel Surveillance Survey. Data were collected by CASI about each participant’s three most recent male sex partners. Primary outcome was knowledge of a partner's HIV test result. Multivariate analysis assessed the effect of age, education, sexual identity, number of male partners, alcohol use during intercourse, type of partnership and length of partnership using logistic regression.Results735 participants provided data on 1,643 of their most recent sex partners from the last 3 months. 179/735 (24.4%) of all participants knew HIV test results for at least one of their 3 most recent partners, corresponding to 230/1643 (14.0%) of all sexual partnerships in the last 3 months. In multivariate analysis, casual (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.17-0.42) and exchange sex (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.88) partners, compared to stable partners, were negatively associated with knowledge of partner serostatus, whereas relationships lasting longer than one night (<3 months OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.39-3.51; 3 months to 1 year OR: 3.00, 95% CI: 1.80-5.01; ≥ 1 year OR: 4.13, 95% CI: 2.40-7.10) were positively associated with knowledge of partner serostatus. Knowledge of partner serostatus was not associated with unprotected anal intercourse with that partner.ConclusionsFew MSM and TW in Peru know their partners’ HIV serostatus. Our findings suggest that the type and length of partnership influence the likelihood of knowing a partner’s serostatus. Further research should explore the contexts and practices of partner communication, their effect on sexual behavior, and interventions to promote discussion of HIV testing and serostatus as an HIV prevention strategy in this population.
Highlights
Knowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus can influence sexual behavior and inform harm-reduction strategies
In order to develop an initial understanding of communication about serostatus between Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) sex partners, we analyzed data from the 2008 HIV Sentinel Surveillance Survey of Peruvian MSM and TW to assess for factors associated with having knowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus, and whether or not this knowledge or the partner’s serostatus itself is associated with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with that partner
The rate of knowledge of partner serostatus ranged from 8.3% for exchange sex partners to 32.6% for stable partners, much lower than that found in previous studies of MSM populations in the U.S and Australia, which have reported knowledge of partner serostatus ranging from 15.6% for casual partners [3] to 86.3% for stable partners [4]
Summary
Knowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus can influence sexual behavior and inform harm-reduction strategies. We sought to determine how often Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) knew the HIV serostatus of their sex partners, if this knowledge was associated with any predictive factors or unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), and if UAI was associated with partner serostatus. Knowledge of sex partner HIV serostatus can influence perception of sexual risk and may inform harmreduction strategies for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgendered women (TW) [1]. Little is known about partnership dynamics in Peruvian MSM and TW, including whether they discuss HIV testing, serostatus, or risk-reduction behaviors. In order to develop an initial understanding of communication about serostatus between Peruvian MSM and TW sex partners, we analyzed data from the 2008 HIV Sentinel Surveillance Survey of Peruvian MSM and TW to assess for factors associated with having knowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus, and whether or not this knowledge or the partner’s serostatus itself is associated with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with that partner
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