Epidemiological characteristics, risk behaviors and immune decline status in newly diagnosed HIV-positive men who have sex with men Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019 - 2020

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are always at increased risk of HIV transmission through anal sex. The cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 MSM patients aged > 16 years with initially diagnosed HIV at the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh city and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh city (both in Vietnam) to describe the epidemiological characteristics, risk behaviors, and immune decline status in this population. The results showed that the newly diagnosed HIV-positive MSM group was a young population (IQR 22 - 29) with single status (93.3%), higher education degrees was 40.4% of cases. The percentage of MSM self-identified as a “Receptive” (44.2%) was higher than the percentage of MSM self-identified as an “insertive” (21.2%). MSM had multiple sexual partners (4.3 partners with 12 months). The rate of consistent condom usage was low (26.2%). Only 3.8% of participants had ever used or are currently taking PrEP. The percentages of MSM who had been tested for HIV in the last 12 months and had never been tested for HIV were 17.5% and 65.0%, respectively. The rate of co-infection with syphilis was 39.7%. The rate of diagnosed HIV MSM with progressive or advanced immunodeficiency was high (59.6%). Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen communication and education to raise the awareness of self-protection from HIV infection and proactively periodically HIV testing among MSM is essential to prevent the HIV pandemic.