OBJECTIVE: Despite the growing impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in Puerto Rico (PR), limited epidemiological research on men who have sex with men (MSM) has been conducted. The aim of this study was to describe HIV-related risk behaviors in a sample of MSM in PR. METHODS: A secondary data analysis of a household survey of the adult population of PR was performed in order to describe substance use and sexual practices related to HIV transmission and seropositivity for hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) in MSM. Data regarding substance use and sexual practices were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (A-CASI). Descriptive statistics were used to examine lifetime and recent (12 months) prevalence of substance use and sexual practices. RESULTS: Of the 640 men interviewed, 41 (6.4%) reported having ever had sex with another man on at least one occasion. Approximately one-fourth of MSM reported having used marijuana (24.4%) and cocaine (24.4%) in the past 12 months. Nearly 42% of the MSM reported an early age of sexual initiation (< 15 years), and 61% reported having had at least 10 sexual partners in their lifetime. Seropositivity rates for HAV, HSV-2, HIV, HCV, and HBV were 43.3%, 32.4%, 7.3%, 4.9%, and 4.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to attempt to examine high-risk behaviors related to HIV in a population-based sample of MSM in PR. Concurrent efforts that will help to intensify research and prevention initiatives among MSM are necessary, especially those that will enhance awareness of screening for HIV, HCV, and other sexually transmitted infections, access to HAV and HBV vaccinations, substance use, and identification of social barriers.
OBJECTIVE: Despite the growing impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in Puerto Rico (PR), limited epidemiological research on men who have sex with men (MSM) has been conducted. The aim of this study was to describe HIV-related risk behaviors in a sample of MSM in PR. METHODS: A secondary data analysis of a household survey of the adult population of PR was performed in order to describe substance use and sexual practices related to HIV transmission and seropositivity for hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) in MSM. Data regarding substance use and sexual practices were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (A-CASI). Descriptive statistics were used to examine lifetime and recent (12 months) prevalence of substance use and sexual practices. RESULTS: Of the 640 men interviewed, 41 (6.4%) reported having ever had sex with another man on at least one occasion. Approximately one-fourth of MSM reported having used marijuana (24.4%) and cocaine (24.4%) in the past 12 months. Nearly 42% of the MSM reported an early age of sexual initiation (< 15 years), and 61% reported having had at least 10 sexual partners in their lifetime. Seropositivity rates for HAV, HSV-2, HIV, HCV, and HBV were 43.3%, 32.4%, 7.3%, 4.9%, and 4.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to attempt to examine high-risk behaviors related to HIV in a population-based sample of MSM in PR. Concurrent efforts that will help to intensify research and prevention initiatives among MSM are necessary, especially those that will enhance awareness of screening for HIV, HCV, and other sexually transmitted infections, access to HAV and HBV vaccinations, substance use, and identification of social barriers.
Authors: Omar Martinez; Elwin Wu; Theo Sandfort; Andrew Z Shultz; Jonathan Capote; Silvia Chávez; Eva Moya; Brian Dodge; Gabriel Morales; Antonio Porras; Hugo Ovejero Journal: EHQUIDAD Date: 2014-01-30
Authors: Carlos E Rodríguez-Díaz; Gerardo G Jovet-Toledo; Edgardo J Ortiz-Sánchez; Edda I Rodríguez-Santiago; Ricardo L Vargas-Molina Journal: Arch Sex Behav Date: 2015-06-27
Authors: Vivian Colón-López; Marievelisse Soto-Salgado; Carlos Rodríguez-Díaz; Erick L Suárez; Cynthia M Pérez Journal: Sex Res Social Policy Date: 2013-09-01
Authors: Vivian Colón-López; Ana P Ortiz; Geetanjoli Banerjee; Alida M Gertz; Hermes García Journal: P R Health Sci J Date: 2013-03 Impact factor: 0.705
Authors: Vivian Colon-Lopez; Ana P Ortiz; Marievelisse Soto-Salgado; Mariela Torres-Cintrón; Naydi Perez; Juan José Mercado-Acosta; Humberto M Guiot; Erick Suarez Journal: J Gastrointest Cancer Date: 2014-06
Authors: Vivian Colón-López; Ana P Ortiz; Marievelisse Soto-Salgado; Mariela Torres-Cintrón; Juan José Mercado-Acosta; Erick Suárez Journal: P R Health Sci J Date: 2013-06 Impact factor: 0.705
Authors: Vivian Colón-López; Ana P Ortiz; Lizbeth M Del Toro-Mejías; Hermes García; Michael C Clatts; Joel Palefsky Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2012-12-12 Impact factor: 3.090