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Please note: The
reference numbers in the text below will
take you to the reference section of the CDC fact
sheet HIV/AIDS among Men Who Have Sex with Men.
To reduce the incidence of HIV, CDC
released the
Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of
Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in
Health-Care Settings in 2006. These
recommendations include the routine HIV
screening of adults, adolescents, and
pregnant women in health care settings in
the United States. They also include
reducing barriers to HIV testing. In 2003,
CDC announced
Advancing HIV Prevention. This
initiative comprises 4 strategies: making
HIV testing a routine part of medical care,
implementing new models for diagnosing HIV
infections outside medical settings,
preventing new infections by working with
HIV-infected persons and their partners, and
further decreasing perinatal HIV
transmission.
Given that a large number of HIV-infected
MSM are unaware of their infection, HIV
testing is an important strategy for this
population. Many of these men have
previously tested HIV-negative, so CDC
recommends that all sexually active MSM be
tested for HIV at least once a year [49].
MSM who engage in high-risk behaviors (e.g.,
unprotected anal sex with casual partners)
should be tested more frequently.
MSM as a group continues to be the
population most affected by HIV infection
and AIDS. Howver, research shows that HIV
prevention efforts can reduce sexual risk
factors: one review found that among men who
received an HIV prevention intervention, the
proportion who engaged in unprotected sex
decreased, on average, 26% [50].
CDC offers effective interventions for
MSM (http://www.effectiveinterventions.org) .
These interventions can be tailored to
various audiences, such as African American
or Hispanic MSM. For example,
- Many Men, Many Voices, which is a
group STD/HIV prevention intervention
for gay men of color and men who have
sex with other men but do not identify
themselves as gay or bisexual
- Mpowerment, which comprises HIV
prevention, safer sex, and risk-reduction
messages in a community-building format for
young MSM
- Popular Opinion Leader, which involves
identifying, enlisting, and training key
opinion leaders to encourage safer sex as
the norm in the social networks of MSM
- Healthy Relationships, which helps
develop the skills and self-efficacy of MSM
and other people living with HIV/AIDS
- Peers Reaching Out and Modeling
Intervention Strategies (PROMISE), which
uses peer advocates (including men who do
not identify themselves as gay) to help
people adopt practices to reduce or
eliminate risk factors for HIV infection
In 2006, CDC provided 54 awards to community-based organizations
that focus primarily on MSM. CDC also
provides funding through state, territorial,
and local health departments. Of these 54
awards, 63% focus on African Americans, 43%
on Hispanics, 13% on Asians and Pacific
Islanders, and 20% on whites (the
percentages do not add to 100% because some
of the organizations focus on more than one
racial/ethnic group). For example,
- An organization in Jefferson County,
Alabama, that provides a range of
services, including individual
counseling, community and street
outreach, and interventions for African
American men and Spanish-speaking men
- An organization in New York City that
provides HIV/AIDS–related services,
education, and research to Asian and
Pacific Islander communities
- An organization offering HIV/AIDS
services throughout Los Angeles and San
Bernardino counties and San Diego that
is committed to enhancing the health and
well-being of the Latino community and
other underserved communities through
community education, prevention,
mobilization, advocacy, and direct
social services.
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