Repeat HIV testing among HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men attending Silom Community Clinic, Bangkok, 2011 − 2014

Abstract

Since 2010, the Thailand Ministry of Public Health has recommended that men who have sex with men (MSM) have an HIV test at least two times a year. We calculated the proportion of, and factors associated with, testing adherence among the HIV-uninfected MSM clients attending Silom Community Clinic @TropMed. We defined testing adherence as repeating at least one HIV test within six months of an initial HIV-negative test, and used log-binomial regression to test for associated factors. We included 1927 clients during 2011-2014; 362 (19%) were adherent with an increased trend ( p < 0.01), from 16% to 24%. Clients aged 18-24 years and those having a history of HIV testing were more likely to adhere (aRR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6; and aRR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.5, respectively). One-fifth adhered to the recommendation; older clients or naïve testees were less likely to adhere. We need to impress on clients the importance of repeat HIV testing.

Recent declines in HIV infections at Silom Community Clinic Bangkok, Thailand corresponding to HIV prevention scale up: An open cohort assessment 2005–2018

“…Our data showed an increase in clients with a previous history of HIV testing consistent with recommendations by the US and Thailand for annual HIV testing (Sungkanuparph et al, 2010). Although an HIV test every 6 months is reimbursable by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) in the Thailand government since 2010 (Sungkanuparph et al, 2010), repeat testing adherence was only twenty percent during 2011-2014(Wimonsate et al, 2018. Our finding of the repeat testing rate of 68.9% in 2017-2018 indicates wider access to HIV testing which is critical for HIV prevention service delivery including PrEP.…”

“…The Silom Community Clinic (SCC) located in central Bangkok, Thailand has provided anonymous and confidential free HTC services to MSM and transgender women (TGW) since September 2005 (Wimonsate et al, 2018). Basic demographic information was collected at registration through computer-assisted self-interviews from 2005 to 2016.…”

“…There was no difference noted between the days between the last negative HIV test date and the first positive HIV test dates, or CD4 count over time. A description of the MSM who never returned for repeated testing has been previously published (Wimonsate et al, 2018).…”

Risk Factors for HIV sero-conversion in a high incidence cohort of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Bangkok, Thailand

“…Of 1927 clients who attended the clinic for an initial HIV test, only 19% repeated at least one HIV test within six months. Notably, those who were aged 18–24 and had an HIV test were more likely to return for repeat testing [16] .…”

Estimating the impact of HIV combination prevention in men who have sex with men, the Bangkok MSM Cohort Study, Thailand

“…Despite successes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in Thailand, including the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission in 2016, 1 high rates of HIV transmission continue to occur among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). 2 During 2011-2014, HIV prevalence among MSM in Bangkok, Thailand, was about 30%, 3 and HIV incidence was 4.8 per 100 personyears. 2 Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has high efficacy to prevent HIV among MSM.…”