Knowing HIV status lowers sexual risk among US gay and bisexual men

A new analysis of data from 20 major U.S. cities reveals continued signs of sexual risk among gay and bisexual men, but shows dramatically lower sexual risk among those who accurately know their HIV status. The findings were published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Public domain photo/ ChristianHeldt via Wikimedia commons

In 2011, 33 percent of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) who were unaware of their infection had unprotected anal sex with someone they believed was HIV-negative or whose status they did not know. However, men who accurately knew they were HIV positive were 60 percent less likely to report recent unprotected anal sex with someone of a different HIV status — with 13 percent reporting this behavior.

Today’s report provides an important look at sexual risk within a population hard-hit by HIV across the United States. MSM account for nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections and approximately half of the 1.1 million people nationwide living with HIV. The number of HIV infections has increased annually among MSM in recent years, particularly in young men.

The new analysis reports on data from CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, which monitors HIV testing, prevalence, risk behaviors, and access to prevention services among at-risk populations in 20 U.S. cities with a high AIDS burden.

The report also provides an analysis of sexual risk over time, finding that the percentage of MSM reporting unprotected anal sex at least once during the past 12 months grew to 57 percent in 2011 from 48 percent in 2005. While the analysis does not provide information on whether other prevention strategies were being employed, the trend is concerning given the high risk of HIV transmission during anal sex.

“While we remain concerned about potentially increasing levels of sexual risk, it is encouraging to see that risk is substantially lower in those who know they have HIV,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “HIV testing remains one of our most powerful tools to reverse the epidemic. Everyone should know their HIV status.”

Read the rest of the Press Release

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