HIV Testing And Associated Factors Among Student Men Who Have Sex With Men In University By Using Social Communication Internet In China

Objectives To investigate the history of HIV testing in the past year,and their requirements on HIV testing services among student men who have sex with men in university(SMSM)through a survey on Blued,a MSM website in China;and to explore the factors associated with HIV testing in the past year.Methods The combination of quantitative research and qualitative research methods were applied.A cross-sectional study was conducted on the most popular gay networking phone application,by using the “Wen Juan Xing” software to design the electronic questionnaire,to ensure the quality of this internet investigation.Participant eligibilityuies were:(1)registered users of Blued(a gay specific networking application);(2)a student men who have sex with men in university,with the age around 18-25 years;and(3)self-reported having homosexual anal intercourse in the past year.A survey questionnaire was put on the website of the Blued.The data collected student demographic characteristics,campus factors,AIDS knowledge,sex behavior in the past year and HIV testing related information and requirements.Chi-square test and non-conditional Multiple Logistic Regressions were employed for univariate and multivariate to assess factors associated with HIV testing,respectively.The qualitative interview was conducted face-to-face with 40 SMSM to understand promoted and prohibited factors on HIV testing,from knowledge on AIDS,condom using in right way,self-evaluation on HIV infection risk and their requirement for HIV testing,then to well understand the attitude of SMSM on HIV testing.The recorded qualitative interview data were coded,induced,and analyzed by software of ATLAti.5.0,according to the keyword or terms.Results Quantitative Research 1384 SMSM participated in this survey,652(47.1%)had HIV testing in the past year.Mean age of the SMSM was 20.99(±0.04)years old.Most of them came from secondclass university,and the sophomore and junior took the main part,with a balance on majors among Art,Science and Engineer evenly.1230(88.9%)had their average living cost per mouth below 2000 RMB.1257(90.8%)were living in university dormitory.The HIV testing rate among SMSM in the past year was 47.1%(652/1384).Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that promoted factors on HIV testing were knowing HIV testing information(OR=10.326,95%CI:6.154-17.292),well-knowing or part-knowing of their steady partners’ HIV infection statues(OR=3.683,95%CI:2.549-5.320;OR=2.385,95%CI:1.768-3.217)respectively,knowing the HIV positive MSM(OR=2.511,95%CI:1.759-3.585),and willingness to receive regular HIV testing(OR=3.342,95%CI:2.547-4.387);living fee being over 2000 RMB per month(OR=1.656,95%CI:1.081-2.536).The prohibited factors on HIV testing were do not having a steady partner(OR=0.329,95%CI: 0.146 ~ 0.739)or having only one(OR=0.366,95%CI:0.247~0.542)and choosing trust their steady partners without HIV infection risks(OR=0.620,95%CI:0.455-0.844).The most concern of SMSM on HIV testing is keeping secret(1363,98.4%),followed by having professional testing reagents(1351,97.5%),no discrimination from workers(1347,97.3%)and professional testing workers(1316,95.0%).On the requirement on HIV testing,SMSM hope the service worker were men in consultation(449,68.9%)and transfusion(374,57.4%);the testing result being available in half an hour(290,44.5%)with informed by doctor(253,39.7%);most of them choosing the CDC and hospitals to having tests,some(197,30.2%)SMSM choose a self-testing. Qualitative Research A total of 40 SMSM were in-depth interviewed face-to-face,eight students had no HIV testing experience before,five students did not study in beijing.The mode age was 23 years old and the 21 students were junior.30 were from the first-class universitys,and 25 people were from Art.The average living cost was around the 1000-1500 RMB.The SMSM has had certain knowledge about AIDS infection ways,however they did not have comprehensive knowledge about HIV transmission,from prevention and HIV testing to ART treatment,then had a right judgement on sex behaviors,which resulted in a lower perception of risk of HIV infection among SMSM.While some SMSM had the AIDS phobia with over ten times HIV testing in one year.All SMSM understood that HIV infection acquired by the body fluid exchange between HIV infected and non-infected.The SMSM understood that having anal sex with condom is safe without knowing how to use condom appropriately.Even some SMSM believed that having anal sex without condom was safe if you had have used enough lubricant to reduceing bleeding.SMSM seek for HIV testing only when they had bleeding,torn,sexually transmitted diseases or not feeling well.Not familiar with facility-based HIV testing sites,scare of leakage of privacy,stigma and discrimination associated with HIV testing and being tested HIV positive may deter SMSM going to the facility-based HIV testing sites.Conclusion Among SMSM who were actively in using gay app,close to 50% had HIV testing in the past year.Those who perceived HIV infection risks and knowing the HIV testing information were more likely to had HIV test.SMSM had a very high HIV-related risk sexual behaviors,expecially when SMSM had a steady relationship in one year,condoms were rare used in anal sex because of mutual trust,which will triguer the HIV second-transportation in campus.However SMSM without a steady partner were rare need HIV testing,the reason was they had a few casual partners with higher condom using in the past year.The results urge rasing the HIV testing awareness and targeting SMSM group with specific and systematic HIV testing campaign programs.