Motivations and Barriers to Routine HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City

Overview

Journal AIDS Behav

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2022 May 10

PMID 35536518

Authors

Paul Kobrak

Robert H Remien

Julie E Myers

Paul Salcuni

Zoe Edelstein

Benjamin Tsoi

Theodorus Sandfort

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In-depth qualitative interviews explored the experiences and understandings of men 18-39 years old who have sex with men that could facilitate or prevent HIV testing and routine HIV testing. For many men who tested frequently, testing and routine testing were motivated by awareness of the benefit of prompt treatment; public health and provider encouragement to test periodically; responsibility towards sexual partners; and wanting to share a recent HIV-negative test result when seeking sex online. For some men, any testing was impeded by anxiety around possible HIV diagnosis that made testing a stressful occasion that required time and energy to prepare for. This anxiety was often compounded by stigma related to sex between men, having condomless sex, or having HIV. Routine testing could be further stigmatized as some men felt judged by testing providers or partners if they asked for a test or said they tested frequently. We describe efforts to promote testing and routine testing by countering fear and stigma associated with HIV and testing.

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