Motivations and Barriers to Routine HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City

Abstract

In-depth qualitative interviews explored the experiences and understandings of men 18–39 years old who have sex with men that could facilitate or prevent HIV testing and routine HIV testing. For many men who tested frequently, testing and routine testing were motivated by awareness of the benefit of prompt treatment; public health and provider encouragement to test periodically; responsibility towards sexual partners; and wanting to share a recent HIV-negative test result when seeking sex online. For some men, any testing was impeded by anxiety around possible HIV diagnosis that made testing a stressful occasion that required time and energy to prepare for. This anxiety was often compounded by stigma related to sex between men, having condomless sex, or having HIV. Routine testing could be further stigmatized as some men felt judged by testing providers or partners if they asked for a test or said they tested frequently. We describe efforts to promote testing and routine testing by countering fear and stigma associated with HIV and testing.

Self-Testing as a Hope to Reduce HIV in Transgender Women—Literature Review

“…Research on at-risk populations suggests that health care providers should present HIV testing as a routine health check, emphasizing that it should not be a one-time practice. Thus, it is important to encourage clients and patients to make regular visits for HIV testing, for example every three or six months [ 95 ]. Healthcare professionals can identify patients who show signs of life chaos, such as difficulty keeping appointments or reluctance to make the next appointment, and offer support services by, for example, scheduling or reminding them of appointments or arranging transportation, thus making health care a source of stability [ 96 ].…”

Undiagnosed HIV in Patients on Immunosuppressive Medications Presenting with HIV-Associated Kidney Disease

“…Many at-risk or disproportionately affected groups may not receive or be offered appropriate HIV testing at their healthcare encounters. [14][15][16] This increases the challenges that patients face trying to access HIV testing. This is particularly harmful in the US South, where patients already experience higher rates of poverty, a lower proportion of HIV providers, and more limited access to health insurance due to a lack of Medicaid expansion.…”

“…33 These negative perceptions also were seen among MSMs who feared testing due to being associated with engaging in risky sexual behaviors or being identified as homosexual. 15 Intersectional stigma also is associated with the reduced likelihood of HIV testing among individuals who identify with more than one category of marginalized status. 30,34 Removing the stigma surrounding HIV is clearly necessary, but it will be a challenging next step to overcome.…”

“…36 Ongoing experiences of discrimination have been associated with a lower likelihood of HIV testing among Black women. 15,16,37 Targeted interventions toward African American females using gender-or culture-specific materials, female speakers, and focused skills training sessions have been shown to be more effective at preventing HIV infection. 34,38 Using these targeted approaches may help normalize and overcome HIVrelated medical mistrust, IPV experiences, discrimination, and engrained stigma when counseling on HIV testing.…”

“…Many at-risk or disproportionately affected groups may not receive or be offered appropriate HIV testing at their healthcare encounters 14–16 . This increases the challenges that patients face trying to access HIV testing.…”