Search

Text messaging is a potential HIV-prevention tool for men who have sex with men (MSM), specifically young MSM and MSM of color. To determine the willingness of MSM to receive text messages as part of an HIV-prevention intervention, we administered an online survey to MSM recruited from MySpace.com, which included questions about mobile phone ownership and willingness to participate in a future text message–based HIV research study. Of participants, 85% (n = 5,378) reported owning a mobile phone and 49% (n = 2,483) of mobile phone owners reported being willing to receive text messages in a future HIV research study. Black and Hispanic men were more willing than White non-Hispanic men to receive text messages. Men with a college degree were less willing to receive texts than men with a high school level of education, and men >22 years old were less likely to be willing to receive texts than those younger than 22 years of age. The authors' findings demonstrate that willingness to receive text messages as part of an HIV research study is moderate, and mirrors patterns of text message use in age and race. Variations in willingness should be taken into account when designing and implementing future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the psychometric properties of several scales that measure dyadic constructs derived from an integrated model of interdependence theory and communal coping perspectives. The scales are specific to HIV risk and men who have sex with men who are in an intimate relationship. These scales are newly developed measures of perceived severity of HIV, preferences for sexual health outcomes, outcome and couple efficacy to avoid HIV, and communal coping strategies. Scale items were created based on theoretical definitions and results from six focus groups with men who have sex with men. Face and content validity of the scales were assessed with a panel of six experts in the field of HIV prevention. Revised scales were subsequently administered to an online sample of 638 men who have sex with men, who indicated being in a relationship for at least three months. All scales showed adequate reliability, and evidence for construct validity was obtained for all scales, except for perceived severity of HIV. The results indicate that these dyadic scales are psychometrically sound and can be used in future HIV prevention research and practice with men who have sex with men couples. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent studies among men who have sex with men (MSM) have found that the majority of HIV transmission results from sex with a main partner. One factor likely to affect the risk of transmission is the type of agreements the couple has regarding sexual behaviour within and outside the relationship. This study recruited 732 Internet-using MSM through Facebook banner ads. Participants completed an online questionnaire regarding demographic characteristics of the respondent and their main partner, the sexual behaviour of the couple, the existence of a sexual agreement, and the strength of investment in that agreement. The Pearson chi-square test was used to assess the association between sexual agreements (categorized as open, closed, or none) and the predictive variables. Respondents' investment in their sexual agreement was measured using the sexual agreement investment scale (a composite score ranging from 0 to 52). Ninety-one percent of respondents had some form of sexual agreement in place with their main partner. The presence and type of sexual agreement was found to be strongly associated with many characteristics of the individual and couple, including the respondent's HIV status, length of time with the main partner, having unprotected anal intercourse with a man other than their main partner, and happiness in the relationship. Increases in the strength of respondents' investment in their sexual agreement were found to be associated with newness of the relationship, relationship happiness, having a closed relationship, and decreases in risky sexual behaviour. This study offers further evidence of the important role that sexual agreements play in male couples. The overwhelming prevalence of sexual agreements and their association with relationship happiness and risky sexual behaviours has important implications for future HIV prevention and control strategies, including the implementation of couples voluntary counseling and testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Visiting a medical provider less frequently than clinical circumstances would suggest is appropriate has been reported to be associated with worse clinical outcomes for patients living with HIV infection. Patients with less frequent attendance to HIV care also may be systematically underrepresented in research or surveillance studies that enroll patients sequentially over a specified enrollment period - for example several months. For both reasons, understanding factors associated with time to care visit is important. Methods. We used data from the Adult and Adolescent Spectrum of HIV Disease (ASD) project, a multi-site clinical outcomes surveillance system that enrolled and followed patients in care for HIV prospectively from 1990 to 2004. For this analysis, we used data from all patients observed in ASD at least one time before 1 January 2003, and who had at least one HIV care visit in 2003. We documented time to first annual HIV care visit for each patient, and used Kaplan-Meier plots and proportional hazards regression to describe factors associated with longer time to care visit. Results. A total of 12,135 patients had ≥1 care visit during 2003 and were included in the analysis. Of these, 81%, 88%, and 95% had their first visit within three, four, and six months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, having a delayed (later) care visit was associated with not ever having had an AIDS diagnosis, having an HIV RNA concentration ≥10,000 copies/mL, having a current CD4 count <100 cells/µL, having no health insurance, and not being currently prescribed antiretroviral therapy. Having a delayed care visit was not associated with race/ethnicity or age. Conclusions. Having a delayed first annual HIV care visit was associated with higher viremia, lower CD4 cell count, and lack of health insurance. Interventions to address these factors are likely to ameliorate some of the consequences of HIV. For studies enrolling patients in care for HIV over a finite time period, an enrollment period of four-six months should sufficiently reflect the patient population seen in a one-year period, including those attending care infrequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]