Increased frequency of repeated HIV testing among men who have sex with men in France between 2017 and 2019. Results of the "Rapport au sexe" survey

Repeated HIV testing is a major public health issue, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM), who remain one of the populations most affected by HIV. The objective of this article is to describe changes in the frequency of HIV testing among MSM between 2017 and 2019. The data are drawn from the two editions of the Rapport au sexe (ERAS) survey, a cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered, and voluntary online survey conducted in 2017 and 2019. A total of 33,661 MSM residing in France, who had had at least one sexual encounter with a man in the past twelve months and who did not report being HIV-positive, were included in the analyses. The proportion of respondents who had never taken an HIV test in their lifetime decreased significantly from 17% in 2017 to 15% in 2019, while testing in the past twelve months increased (from 53% to 55%). The proportion of 2019 respondents who had taken three or more tests also increased from 15% to 20%, regardless of the respondents’ characteristics. While the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) contributes significantly to this increase, the trend is also observed among MSM who do not use PrEP. The continuation of testing promotion campaigns targeting the MSM population in all its diversity and the implementation of a proactive, region-specific policy are essential levers for curbing the HIV epidemic.

Author(s): Velter Annie, Duchesne Lucie, Lydié Nathalie

Publishing year: 2019

Pages: 648-656

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2019, n° 31-32, p. 648-656

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