HIV incidence and risk contributing factors among men who have sex with men in Benin: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Men who have sex with Men (MSM) are a key population in the transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. In Benin, there is a lack of strategic information to offer appropriate interventions for these populations who live hidden due to their stigmatization and discrimination. The objective is to identify contributing factors that affect HIV incidence in the MSM population. Study of a prospective cohort of 358 HIV-negative MSM, aged 18 years and over, reporting having had at least one oral or anal relationship with another man during the last 12 months, prior to recruitment. The monitoring lasted 30 months with a follow-up visit every six months. Univariate analyses and a Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression were used to examine the association between bio-behavioral, socio-demographic and knowledge-related characteristics with HIV incidence. The retention rate for the follow-up of the 358 participants was 94.5%. On the 813.5 personyears of follow-up, 48 seroconversions with an HIV incidence of 5.91 per 100 person-years were observed (95% CI: 4.46-7.85). Factors associated with the high risk of HIV were age (HR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.8), living in couple (HR = 0.5 95% CI: 0.2-0.96) and the lack of condom systematic use with a male partner during high-risk sex (HR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.4-11.1). HIV incidence is high within MSM population and particularly among young people. Targeted, suitable and cost-effective interventions for the delivery of the combination prevention package in an environment free of stigma and discrimination are necessary and vital for reaching the 90x90x90 target.

Quantifying the Evolving Contribution of HIV Interventions and Key Populations to the HIV Epidemic in Yaoundé, Cameroon

“…Our findings on the PAF of sex between men resemble that of Dakar, Senegal (42% over 1995-2005), and are higher than those reported in other settings (around 5-10%) 22,23,57,58 where HIV prevalence among MSM is lower. Our estimate of the HIV incidence among MSM over the 2009-2018 (8.6 (7.0-9.9) infections per 100 susceptible person-year) is consistent with estimates from empirical studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa over the same time period, 59,60 but our predicted HIV incidence markedly decreases to 2.2 infections over 2019-2028 due to reported increases in coverage of interventions among MSM in Yaoundé compared to other settings. Additional empirical studies, using a high-standard sampling design would improve our understanding of these time dynamics and better inform the overall contribution of MSM to the HIV epidemic in Yaoundé.…”

HIV incidence and sexual behavioral correlates among 4578 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chengdu, China: a retrospective cohort study

“…It shows the continuing importance of behavioral interventions for HIV prevention among Chinese MSM, even in an era of high rates of testing and treatment. Unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) is considered the most prominent risk factor for HIV infection not only in China but worldwide [ 39 , 40 ]. Some researchers suggested that feelings of trust, desired intimacy and pleasure could lead MSM to not use condoms during anal sex [ 37 ].…”

Prevalence and Incidence rate of HIV/AIDS in West Africa

“…Ouedraogo et al (12) HIV among Female Sex Workers in Five Cities in Burkina Faso: A Cross-Sectional Baseline Survey to İnform HIV/AIDS Programs 2017 Ali et al (13) Ghana's HIV epidemic and PEPFAR's contribution towards epidemic control 2019 Keshinro et al (14) High prevalence of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea among men who have sex with men and transgender women attending trusted community centers in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria 2016 Awofala et al (15) HIV epidemiology in Nigeria 2016 Hessou et al (16) HIV incidence and risk contributing factors among men who have sex with men in Benin: A prospective cohort study 2020…”