IAS 2011 Abstract - Community based rapid HIV-testing for MSM carried out by medical staff attracts young, highly educated, and 'soft sex' gay or bisexual men already accustomed to HIV-test routine (Checkpoint study, Paris, France)

MOPE364 - Poster Exhibition

Community based rapid HIV-testing for MSM carried out by medical staff attracts young, highly educated, and 'soft sex' gay or bisexual men already accustomed to HIV-test routine (Checkpoint study, Paris, France)

J.-Y. Le Talec^1,2, C. Rouzioux^3,4, A. Velter⁵, G. Kreplak⁶, G. Sebbah⁷, P. Tessier², A. Guérin², N. Derche², Steering Committee of the Checkpoint study

¹Université de Toulouse-Le Mirail, Certop-Sagesse (UMR 5044), Toulouse, France, ²Kiosque Infos Sida, Paris, France, ³Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Laboratoire de virologie, Paris, France, ⁴Université Paris Descartes, EA 3620, Paris, France, ⁵INVS, Saint-Maurice, France, ⁶Centre biologique du Chemin Vert, Paris, France, ⁷Groupe SOS, Paris, France

Background: A community based rapid HIV testing service has been organized by the association 'Le Kiosque Infos Sida', in order to improve HIV-infection diagnosis among MSM, offer high quality counseling, refer positive patients to medical care, and describe the consultants.
Methods: After consent and inclusion, a rapid HIV-test (Vikia®, bioMérieux) is performed by healthcare professionals, with pre/post counseling interviews. The result is delivered within 30 minutes. In the meantime, patients fill in a computer based demographic and behavioural questionnaire.
Results: Over one year (2010-01-28 to 2011-01-27), 2355 MSM have been included (2309 questionnaires). The consultants have a median age of 29 (IQR 24-36) and live in Paris region (93%). Most of them are postgraduate (Master or PhD level 64%), while 17% are undergraduate. A majority are employed (77%) and live alone (54%). They identify themselves as gay (78%) or bisexual (15%), and mention having a steady companion (58%), and/or casual partners (85%). During the last 12 months, 34% declare at least one UAI with a partner whose HIV-status is positive or unknown, but many respondants don't seem to be engaged in intensive sex culture: 44% had less than 6 partners, 39% never attended sex venues, 41% never used drugs. In their lifetime, 87% have already been tested (70% several times), with a median last test lapse of 12 month (IQR 6-24). Within the past year, 57% checked their HIV-status, with an average of 1.7 tests. These data correlate with a 60% diagnosis of recent/acute infections among 52 confirmed HIV-positive patients.
Conclusion: Association based and medicalized rapid HIV-testing meets the needs of urban, young, highly educated, 'mainstream' gay or bisexual men. This assessment highlights the necessity to widen and diversify rapid HIV-testing offer, in order to reach the entire community of MSM (older, less educated, sex clubbers?) and reinforce HIV-test routine.
Download the e-Poster