Repeated HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing Increased Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

High risk MSM are recommended to take up HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) once every 6months. 809 HIV-negative MSM in Beijing, China entered the 18-month prospective cohort study; 228 joined an extended study at month 21. The majority (92.5%) of the participants had taken up four rounds of VCT over the study period. HIV prevalence at months 0, 6, 12, 18 and 21 ranged from 2.5 to 6.3%; HIV incidences for the four intervals between the five visits ranged from 5.00 to 14.28 per 100-person year. Despite experiencing repeated VCT, high levels of risk behaviors were reported at month 21. 18% of the participants interviewed at month 21 self-reported increased in UAI and other risk behaviors, comparing recent and pre-baseline experiences. HIV transmission and risk behaviors had not been reduced by multiple rounds of VCT. Reasons behind apparent ineffectiveness and tailored repeated testing strategies need to be investigated.