Dataset Information

Antiretroviral therapy and reasons for not taking it among men having sex with men (MSM)--results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The preventive effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on onward transmission of HIV are a major reason for broadening eligibility for ART. In the WHO European Region, surveillance reveals substantial differences in access to ART across regions and sub-populations. We analysed self-reported data on ART and reasons for not taking ART from EMIS, a large Pan-European Internet survey among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM).

Methods

Respondents from 38 European countries reported their last HIV test result and, if diagnosed with HIV, their treatment status, and reasons for not taking or having stopped ART from a 7 item multiple choice list and/ or answered an open-ended question to give other reasons. Responses were classified as fear of consequences, perceived lack of need, and ART inaccessibility based on factor analysis. Associations between not taking ART because of fear of consequences, and demographic, behavioural and contextual indicators were identified in a multivariable regression model.

Results

13,353 (7.7%) of 174,209 respondents had been diagnosed with HIV. Among them 3,391 (25.4%) had never received ART, and 278 (2.1%) had stopped taking ART. Perceived lack of need was by far the most common reason for not taking or stopping ART (mentioned by 3259 (88.8%) respondents), followed by fear of consequences (428 (11.7%)), and ART inaccessibility (86 (2.3%)). For all reasons, an East-West gradient could be seen, with larger proportions of men living in Central and Eastern Europe reporting reasons other than medical advice for not taking ART. A minority of men were reluctant to start ART independent of medical advice and this was associated with experiences of discrimination in health care systems.

Conclusions

ART is widely available for MSM diagnosed with HIV across Europe. Not being on treatment is predominantly due to treatment not being recommended by their physician and/or not perceived to be needed by the respondent.

SUBMITTER: Marcus U

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4368044 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Antiretroviral therapy and reasons for not taking it among men having sex with men (MSM)--results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS).

Marcus Ulrich U Hickson Ford F Weatherburn Peter P Furegato Martina M Breveglieri Michele M Berg Rigmor C RC Schmidt Axel J AJ

PloS one 20150320 3

<h4>Background</h4>The preventive effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on onward transmission of HIV are a major reason for broadening eligibility for ART. In the WHO European Region, surveillance reveals substantial differences in access to ART across regions and sub-populations. We analysed self-reported data on ART and reasons for not taking ART from EMIS, a large Pan-European Internet survey among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM).<h4>Methods</h4>Respondents from 38 European countries rep ...[more]

PMID: 25793882

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Project description:Practising unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with high numbers of partners is associated with increased risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Our aim was to describe factors associated with UAI with multiple partners in a large sample of MSM from 38 European countries recruited for an online survey in 2010.Data are from the European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey (EMIS). The analysis was restricted to men who reported any anal sex with a non-steady partner in the past 12 months, and who were either never diagnosed with HIV, or who had been diagnosed with HIV more than 12 months ago, reported a detectable viral load and did not exclusively serosort (n = 91,477). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare men reporting UAI with four or more (4+) non-steady partners to two comparison groups: a) no UAI with non-steady partners, and b) UAI with 1-3 non-steady partners.Overall, 9.6% of the study population reported UAI with 4+ partners in the past 12 months. In both models, factors consistently associated with this behaviour were: having been diagnosed with HIV, lower educational levels, use of nitrite inhalants, drugs associated with sex and parties, or erectile dysfunction drugs in the past 4 weeks, using sex-on-site venues in the past 4 weeks, buying or selling sex in the past 12 months, having experienced physical violence due to sexual attraction to men in the past 12 months, reporting sexual happiness, being out to all or almost all of one's acquaintances, and knowing that ART reduces HIV transmissibility.Effective antiretroviral treatment drastically reduces HIV transmission for men diagnosed with HIV, irrespective of partner numbers. Apart from reducing partner numbers or increasing condom use no other recommendations are currently in place to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition and onward transmission for HIV-negative men practicing UAI with multiple partners. A range of factors were identified as associated with UAI with four or more partners which allow the strengthening and targeting of prevention strategies to reduce HIV transmission risks resulting from condomless anal intercourse with multiple partners.

Project description:BackgroundComparison of rates of newly diagnosed HIV infections among MSM across countries is challenging for a variety of reasons, including the unknown size of MSM populations. In this paper we propose a method of triangulating surveillance data with data collected in a pan-European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS) to estimate the sizes of the national MSM populations and the rates at which HIV is being diagnosed amongst them by calculating survey-surveillance discrepancies (SSD) as a measure of selection biases of survey participants.MethodsIn 2010, the first EMIS collected self-reported data on HIV diagnoses among more than 180,000 MSM in 38 countries of Europe. These data were compared with data from national HIV surveillance systems to explore possible sampling and reporting biases in the two approaches. The Survey-Surveillance Discrepancy (SSD) represents the ratio of survey members diagnosed in 2009 (HIVsvy) to total survey members (Nsvy), divided by the ratio of surveillance reports of diagnoses in 2009 (HIVpop) to the estimated total MSM population (Npop). As differences in household internet access may be a key component of survey selection biases, we analysed the relationship between household internet access and SSD in countries conducting consecutive MSM internet surveys at different time points with increasing levels of internet access. The empirically defined SSD was used to calculate the respective MSM population sizes (Npop), using the formula Npop = HIVpop*Nsvy*SSD/HIVsvy.ResultsSurvey-surveillance discrepancies for consecutive MSM internet surveys between 2003 and 2010 with different levels of household internet access were best described by a potential equation, with high SSD at low internet access, declining to a level around 2 with broad access. The lowest SSD was calculated for the Netherlands with 1.8, the highest for Moldova with 9.0. Taking the best available estimate for surveillance reports of HIV diagnoses among MSM in 2009 (HIVpop), the relative MSM population sizes were between 0.03% and 5.6% of the adult male population aged 15-64. The correlation between recently diagnosed (2009) HIV in EMIS participants and HIV diagnosed among MSM in 2009 as reported in the national surveillance systems was very high (R(2) = 0.88) when using the calculated MSM population size.ConclusionsNpop and HIVpop were unreliably low for several countries. We discuss and identify possible measurement errors for countries with calculated MSM population sizes above 3% and below 1% of the adult male population. In most cases the number of new HIV diagnoses in MSM in the surveillance system appears too low. In some cases, measurement errors may be due to small EMIS sample sizes. It must be assumed that the SSD is modified by country-specific factors.Comparison of community-based survey data with surveillance data suggests only minor sampling biases in the former that--except for a few countries--do not seriously distort inter-country comparability, despite large variations in participation rates across countries. Internet surveys are useful complements to national surveillance systems, highlighting deficiencies and allowing estimates of the range of newly diagnosed infections among MSM in countries where surveillance systems fail to accurately provide such data.

Project description:INTRODUCTION:HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) is high in China. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising mean to prevent HIV transmission but it is not widely available in China. We conducted a large Internet-based online survey to assess the willingness of Chinese MSM to take PrEP and associated factors to their uptake preferences. METHODS:Between 19 January and 6 February, 2017, 4581 MSM aged over 15 years were recruited via a social networking app to take an online PrEP survey. HIV status at the time of the survey being conducted was not one of recruitment criteria. Participants were asked if they had heard of PrEP, if they had concerns about PrEP, and if they would be ready to uptake PrEP should it be provided. When asked if participants were willing to take PrEP, they were asked to select from the following responses: "definitely not," "probably not," "not sure," "probably yes," and "definitely yes." In the final analysis, we grouped these five-level Likert scale responses into three-level responses as "definitely yes," "probably yes," and "no (definitely not/probably not/not sure)." Descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to assess the associations of PrEP adoption readiness and uptake concerns with HIV risk behaviours and demographic characteristics. RESULTS:MSM from 33 geographical regions of China participated in the survey. The majority were younger than 25 (65.2%) and had attended college (68.6%). HIV prevalence was high (6.8%) and 43.3% reported a history of unprotected anal sex. Only 22.4% of participants had heard of PrEP. When asked if they would uptake PrEP, 26.0% said "definitely yes," 49.6% were "probably yes," and 24.4% said "no." PrEP adoption readiness was associated with having previously heard of PrEP and expressing concerns about accessibility and cost. Worries about side effects, low perceived HIV risk, preference for condoms, and never having received HIV testing were negatively associated with PrEP uptake willingness. CONCLUSION:Young and well-educated Chinese MSM reported a low willingness to uptake PrEP despite being high-risk for HIV. Effective education, especially through online mediums, will be critical to optimize this group's PrEP uptake.

Project description:BackgroundDifficulty reaching orgasm/ejaculation during partnered sex, a primary characteristic of delayed or absent ejaculation, affects about 5% to 10% of men, but the reasons underlying this problem are poorly understood.AimThe study sought to gain insight into possible etiologies of delayed ejaculation by assessing men's self-perceptions as to why they experience difficulty reaching orgasm.MethodsWe drew 351 men reporting moderately severe to severe difficulty reaching orgasm during partnered sex from a sample of over 3000 respondents obtained through an online survey. As part of the 55-item survey, participants responded to 2 questions asking about their self-perceived reasons for having difficulty reaching orgasm and selected from a list of 14 options derived from the research literature, a series of men's focus groups, and expert opinion. The first question allowed respondents to select all the reasons that they felt contributed to the problem, the second to select only the most important reason. In addition, both men with and without comorbid erectile dysfunction were investigated and compared.OutcomesHierarchical ordering of men's self-pereceived reasons for having difficulty reaching orgasm, including typal reasons established through principal component analysis.ResultsThe major reasons for difficulty were related to anxiety/distress and lack of adequate stimulation, with relationship and other factors endorsed with lower frequency. Further exploration using principal components analysis identified 5 typal reasons, in descending order of frequency: anxiety/distress (41%), inadequate stimulation (23%), low arousal (18%), medical issues (9%), and partner issues (8%). Few differences emerged between men with and without comorbid ED other than ones related to erectile problems, such as higher level of endorsement of medical issues. Typal reasons showed correlations, albeit mostly weak, with a number of covariates, including sexual relationship satisfaction, frequency of partnered sex, and frequency of masturbation.Clinical implicationsUntil supplemental medical treatments for delayed ejaculation are developed and approved, a number of men's purported reasons for difficult or absent ejaculation/orgasm-anxiety/distress, inadequate stimulation, low arousal, relationship issues-fall into areas that can be addressed in couples counseling by a trained sex therapist.Strengths and limitationsThis study is unique in scope and robust in sample size. Drawbacks include those associated with online surveys, including possible bias in sample selection, limitation to Western-based samples, and the lack of differentiation between men with lifelong and acquired difficulty.ConclusionMen who have difficulty reaching ejaculation/orgasm identify putative reasons for their problem, ranging from anxiety/stress, inadequate stimulation, and low arousal to partner issues and medical reasons.

Dataset Information

Antiretroviral therapy and reasons for not taking it among men having sex with men (MSM)--results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS).

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Antiretroviral therapy and reasons for not taking it among men having sex with men (MSM)--results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS).

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