HIV and men who have sex with men

MSM as a behavioral category

Men who have sex with men (abbreviated as MSM, also known as males who have sex with males) are male persons who engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, regardless of how they personally identify themselves. Many MSM choose not to (or cannot for other reasons) identify as homosexual or bisexual. Similarly, the label excludes men who identify as gay or bisexual, but who have never had sex with another man, including many gay teenagers.

The terms MSM and women who have sex with women (WSW) have been used in medical scholarship since at least 1990. But, the term has been attributed to Glick et al., because their usage in a 1994 study solidified the concept in medical terminology. MSM is often used in medical literature and social research to describe such men as a group for research studies without considering issues of self-identification because it offers better behavioral categories for the study of disease-risk than identity-based categories (such as "gay", "bisexual", or "straight"), because a man who self-identifies as gay or bisexual is not necessarily sexually active with men, and someone who identifies as straight might be sexually active with men.

Demographics

Determining the number of men who have ever had sex with another man is difficult worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 3% and as high as 16% of men have had sex at least once with a man. Their estimate includes victims of sexual abuse in addition to men who regularly or voluntarily have sex with men. The United Nations estimates that 6-20% of men worldwide have sex with other men at some point during their lifetime.

Estimates about the U.S. population of MSM vary. The Center for Disease Control estimates that men who have sex with men represent about 2% of the American population. A 2005 study estimates that among U.S. men aged 15 to 44, an estimated 6% of have engaged in oral or anal sex with another man at some point in their lives, and about 2.9% have had at least one male partner in the previous 12 months. A 2007 study estimated that they are 7.1 million men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States, or 6.4% of the overall population. Of these men, 71% are White, 15.9% are Hispanic, and 8.9% are black. The percentage of men who were MSM varied by state, with the lowest percentage in South Dakota (3.3%) and the highest in the District of Columbia (13.2%). However, the same study found that 57% of men who have sex with men identify as bisexual or straight. A 2010 Study estimated that 2.6% had engaged in same-sex behavior in the past year, 4.0% in the past five years, and 7.0% at any point in their lifetime.

HIV infection rates

The HIV virus affects the human immune system and eventually leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The CDC reports that in 2009, MSM accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections and that MSM who had a history of recreational drug injection accounted for an additional 3% of new infections. Among the approximately 784,701 people living with an HIV diagnosis, 396,810 (51%) were MSM. About 48% of MSM living with an HIV diagnosis were white, 30% were black, and 19% were Hispanic or Latino. Although the majority of MSM are white, non-whites accounted for 54% of new infections HIV related MSM infections in 2008. A recent study estimated that for every 100,000 MSM, 692 will be diagnosed with HIV. This makes MSM 60 times more likely to contract the virus than other men and 54 times more likely than women.

Risk factors

A 2007 study analyzing two large population surveys found that "the majority of gay men had similar numbers of unprotected sexual partners annually as straight men and women." However, a 2006 study found that men who reported 4 or more male sexual partners were at increased risk of HIV infection. Study participants who reported amphetamine or heavy alcohol use before sex were more likely to have HIV or other sexually transmitted infections.

A Kaiser Family Foundation study indicated that fewer Americans view HIV as a top health priority today compared to ten years ago. In 1996, 25% of Americans viewed HIV as an “urgent problem” to their community but in 2009, only 17% listed it as “urgent.” The percentage of 18- to 29-year-olds that were personally concerned about contracting the virus dropped from 28% in 1995 to 17% in 2009 A study conducted in 6 major U.S. cities found that only one in 4 teenage men who have sex with men believed they were personally at risk for contracting the HIV virus.

Unprotected anal intercourse

The HIV virus is more easily transmitted through unprotected anal intercourse than through unprotected vaginal intercourse and men who report unprotected receptive anal intercourse are at increased risk of contracting the HIV virus. Generally, the receptive partner is at greater risk of contracting the HIV virus because the lining of the rectum is thin and may allow the virus to enter the body through semen exchange. The insertive partner is also at risk because STIs can enter through the urethra or through small cuts, abrasions, or open sores on the penis. Also, condoms are more likely to break during anal sex than during vaginal sex. Thus, even with a condom, anal sex can be risky. A 2004 study of HIV positive men found men who had unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in the past year were put at risk for contracting the virus. The study found that men who reported engaging in UAI had increased from 30% in 1996 to 42% in 2000. Almost half of all men who participated in UAI in 1996-1997 said that they had not known the HIV status of their partner Studies have found that risk factors for HIV infection are anal intercourse with a man in the past 12 months, having unstable housing, and having inhaled alkyl nitrites (“poppers”). A 2009 study on the prevalence of unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-diagnosed MSM found that majority protected their partners during sexual activity, but a sizeable number of men continue to engage in sexual behaviors that place themselves and others at risk for HIV infections.

Condom fatigue

Although HIV transmission rates fell throughout the 1990s, they hit a plateau at the end of the decade. The increasing rates of sexually transmitted diseases in major cities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom led to reports in the gay and mainstream media of condom fatigue and "AIDS optimism" as causes of the new "laxness" in safe sex practices. This is supported by research on the tendency of couples (heterosexual or homosexual) to use condoms less over time. A 2010 study found that gay and bisexual men choose to have unprotected sex for a variety of reasons and cannot be generalized. Erectile dysfunction, mental health problems and depression, lack of communication or intimacy, and a subculture of unprotected sex were all listed as reasons why men had sex without condoms voluntarily.

Prevention

In the late 1980s the first direct advocacy groups for people with HIV/AIDS were created. Notably, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) formed at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York in the wake of the antiretroviral drug AZT to petition better access to drugs as well as cheaper prices, public education about AIDS and the prohibition of AIDS-related discrimination.

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) published a paper in 2005 offering specific policy solutions for alleviating the spread of the HIV virus in the MSM population for specific regions around the world. They pointed to “a profound lack of knowledge” and stigma about sexual identity as worldwide barriers to preventing transmission and encouraging those infected to seek treatment. The UNAIDS program has recommended that the South African government implement “sex positive” policies to reduce societal stigma around homosexuality and promote the use of water-based lubricants. Particularly in Morocco, the program has advocated distributing condoms in prisons. In recent years, the Chinese government has begun to acknowledge the sexuality of its constituents. According to UNAIDS, the “Government has made significant progress in recognizing the issue of male-to-male sexual health and HIV.” In Latin America, outreach to rural areas is critical to ensuring care to all individuals. The United Nations also emphasizes a focus on LGBT populations that are most vulnerable in Latin American nations. In Jamaica, as in many countries across the globe, homosexuality is outlawed so there are unique challenges to HIV prevention in the MSM community. The UN is trying to implement community-based strategies in Jamaica while still ensuring the anonymity of the people served. In Norway, UNAIDS has observed an increasing number of MSM who have untreated sexually transmitted infections, and their emphasis is on promoting condom use within the gay community. Despite Canada’s “liberal and progressive” reputation on the world stage, HIV-related stigma is still related to the gay community. The United Nations believes the United States needs to recognize sexual education as a fundamental human right. Additionally, better research on MSM in the U.S. would positively affect funding for HIV prevention and treatment programs.

Studies have shown that although there is a large market for vaginal microbicides in developing nations, rectal microbicides are stigmatized and less researched. No microbicide has yet been proven to effectively protect against the risks of unprotected anal intercourses, but advocates believe greater funding for research is needed since condom usage rates are so low. However, stigma and homophobia would potentially be barriers to individuals buying the product. The authors mention this is especially a concern in Caribbean countries where HIV prevalence is high but homosexuality is still illegal and highly stigmatized (See HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean.)

Access to testing

UNAIDS has observed “sero-selection” (choosing a partner based on their HIV status) becoming increasingly prevalent in partner choice and transmission in the United States. A 2008 CDC study found that one in five (19%) of MSM in major U.S. cities were infected with HIV and almost half (44%) were unaware of their infection. Many HIV-infected individuals do not seek treatment until late in their infection (an estimated 42% do not seek treatment until they begin to experience signs of illness.) Furthermore, a significant portion of individuals who are tested for HIV never return for their test results. Studies have advocated for funding and implementation of HIV tests that can be administered outside medical settings since 2003. Home testing is considered especially important because 8%-39% of partners tested in studies of partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) were found to have a previously undiagnosed HIV infection that their partner was unaware of.

In October 2012, OraQuick, the first rapid HIV home-testing kit, went on sale for $40. The test is nearly 100% accurate when it predicts HIV-negative results for HIV-negative individuals. However, for HIV-positive individuals that are not yet producing the antibodies detected by the test, it produces a false negative 93% of the time. Although the manufacturer, OraSure Technologies, is not advertising the test for use for selection of partners, experts have suggested that it may prevent unprotected sexual contact with partners that lie about or are unaware of their HIV status.

A recent study examined how the OraQuick test would identify the behavior of 27 self-identified gay men who frequently had unprotected sex with acquaintances. The researchers gave each participant 16 tests to use over the course of three months. 101 potential partners were tested, and 10 were positive. None of the participants had sex with someone who tested positive. 23 other potential partners refused testing and left the encounter. 2 men admitted they were HIV-positive. Most participants said they would continue using home tests after the study ended to test potential partners on their own. The researchers considered home testing to be an effective prevention method for high-risk groups. However, the test’s $40 cost is considered a major deterrent to commonplace partner testing.