July 11, 2016
Rates of HIV Among MSM Vary Widely By Region
READ TIME: 6 MIN.
By Eric Brus
Eli Rosenberg and colleagues from Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health have used recent estimates of the number of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and publicly available HIV surveillance data to estimate, for U.S. MSM, the prevalence of HIV diagnosis and infection and the rate of new diagnoses, at the national, state, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), and county levels.
Their calculations indicate that, overall, HIV prevalence among MSM in the U.S. during 2012 was 15 percent, the diagnosed HIV prevalence among MSM in 2012 was 11.1 percent, and the new diagnosis rate for 2013 was 0.7 per 100 MSM. The diagnosed HIV prevalence rate among MSM was 57.5 times greater than among other U.S. men.
The bulleted list below highlights geographic patterns in HIV prevalence among MSM at the state, MSA, and county level in 2012. Please note that the HIV prevalence rates and HIV case figures cited refer specifically to diagnosed cases of HIV infection among MSM only. Though not summarized here, the paper also contains estimates of the total HIV cases (both diagnosed and undiagnosed) among MSM, as well as HIV prevalence estimates that include undiagnosed cases.
"Surveillance data have been described as the conscience of the HIV epidemic, and the new insights provided here on the rates of HIV prevalence and new diagnoses for U.S. MSM constitute a call of conscience for heightened responses and improved monitoring of HIV epidemics among MSM, especially in the South. Across the U.S., MSM are affected by HIV at rates that are orders of magnitude higher than for other Americans. This health disparity is even more pronounced in the South. There is a need for increased resources for HIV prevention, treatment, and care for MSM," conclude researchers. "In the South, this must include expansion of access to health care through Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act; increased access to comprehensive HIV prevention services, including for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); and increased resources for programs to support immediate referrals for antiretroviral therapy for those who are newly diagnosed with HIV."
CDC Finds Reduced Risk Among Youth
The newly released national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for 2015 indicates that progress continues to be made in reducing some sexual risk behaviors among U.S. high school students. Every two years, the YRBS monitors the following six main categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults nationwide in grades 9 through 12: 1) sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV; 2) behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; 3) tobacco use; 4) alcohol and other drug use; 5) unhealthy dietary behaviors; and 6) physical inactivity. In this brief feature, we focus on the YRBS report's findings on sexual behavioral risks, HIV/AIDS education, and HIV testing.
Sexual Risk Behaviors and HIV Testing
According to the 2015 YRBS report, for 9th through 12th grade students:
Health Education, Health Services, and Supportive Environments
A related survey, the School Health Policies and Practices Study 2014, indicates that, among U.S. high school students:
Further, among U.S. high schools: