Trends in Syphilis Partner Notification Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who Have Sex With Men in British Columbia, 2010 to 2013

Abstract Background Assisted partner notification services (APNS) may increase HIV testing, early diagnosis, and treatment, but they are not formally implemented in Mexico, where the HIV epidemic is concentrated in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transwomen (TW). This study aimed to explore the awareness of and need for HIV partner notification, as well as to outline potential strategies for APNS based on identified barriers and facilitators. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore partner notification with MSM, TW, and counselors. Afterwards, brainstorm sessions were carried out to produce strategies for implementing APNS. Results Most participants reported experiences with informal partner notification and serostatus disclosure, but not with APNS. Only one counselor indicated assisting notification systematically. The main barriers for notifying or disclosing mentioned by both MSM and TW included fear of (violent) reactions, discrimination and lacking contact information of casual partners. Participants thought it was easier to inform a formal partner, conditional of being well informed about HIV. Given current stigma and lack of awareness, it was suggested that APNS should be preceded by HIV awareness efforts, and be provided by counselors or peers to mitigate potential rejection or violent reactions. Conclusions While APNS are not formally implemented in Mexico, all participants supported the service, indicating that APNS could potentially enhance early HIV diagnosis in Mexico. Strategies to implement such services need to be flexible addressing the individual needs of participants, guaranteeing the safety of more vulnerable participants.

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Men treated for syphilis in Białystok, Poland, 2014-2018

Przeglad Epidemiologiczny ◽

10.32394/pe.73.28 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 329-335

Author(s):

Agnieszka Beata Serwin ◽

Adriana Grochowska ◽

Iwona Flisiak

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Partner Notification ◽

Secondary Syphilis ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Professional Activity ◽

Symptomatic Infection ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Sexual Contacts ◽

Sex With Men

INTRODUCTION. Incidence of syphilis is increasing in Europe in recent years, mainly due to high incidence in men, especially men who have sex with men (MSM). AIM. To analyse sociodemographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of men treated for syphilis in Bialystok in 2014 – 2018, to compare these of MSM and men who have sex with women (MSW). MATERIAL AND METHODS. Analysis of age, residency, professional activity, type of sexual contacts (steady vs. casual), marital status, stage of syphilis diagnosed, concomitant sexually transmitted infections (STIs), treatment, partner notification and follow-up attendance. RESULTS. Of 49 male patients with syphilis 26 (53.06%) were MSM and 23 (46.94%) – MSW. The average age was 33.67 and 35.87 years in MSM and MSW patients, respectively. Majority of patients in both groups were residents of urban areas. Tradesmen and those unemployed constituted the highest proportion in MSM and MSW group, respectively. MSM were in majority single and had only casual contacts while MSW, mostly married or engaged in steady relationship, had also casual contacts. Secondary syphilis was most frequently diagnosed in MSM and late latent syphilis - in MSW. Eight patients (16.32%) had concomitant HIV infection, in all diagnosed before syphilis. Contact tracing was successful in 26.92% of MSM and 39.13% of MSW. Follow-up was not done or not completed in half of MSM and more than half of MSW. CONCLUSIONS. Results confirm that MSM play a crucial role in the current epidemics of syphilis. They have mainly casual sexual contacts and have symptomatic infection. In both MSM and MSW contact tracing and follow-up attendance is suboptimal.

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Individual and partnership factors associated with anticipated versus actual partner notification following STI diagnosis among men who have sex with men and/or with transgender women in Lima, Peru

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

10.1136/sextrans-2017-053292 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 94 (8) ◽

pp. 607-610 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Hannan M Braun ◽

Eddy R Segura ◽

Jordan E Lake ◽

Monica Gandhi ◽

Jessica Rios ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Control Strategies ◽

Partner Notification ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Estimating Equation ◽

Transgender Women ◽

Oral Sex ◽

Newly Diagnosed ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Sex With Men

ObjectivesA detailed understanding of intentions and practices related to partner notification (PN) following STI diagnosis can improve control strategies. We assessed participant-level and partner-level factors guiding notification behaviour among men who have sex with men and/or with transgender women (MSM-TW) in Lima, Peru, including discordances between anticipated and actual notification.MethodsMen newly diagnosed with gonorrhoea, chlamydia and/or syphilis between 2012 and 2014 reported recent partners’ characteristics, anticipated PN practices, and actual PN outcomes following diagnosis. Generalised estimating equation Poisson regression analyses assessed factors guiding PN outcomes.ResultsParticipants (n=150) predominantly identified as homosexual (70%) and moderno (versatile sexual role, 55%); 55% of partners (n=402) were casual. Among all sexual partners, 35% were notified of the STI diagnosis, though only 51% of predicted PN occurred and 26% of actual notifications were unanticipated. 47% of participants notified no partners, while 24% notified all partners. PN was more common with stable versus casual (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR), 95% CI: 0.53, 0.39 to 0.73) or commercial (aPR, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.12 to 1.21) partners, and among participants who perceived PN as normative among their peers (aPR, 95% CI: 1.96, 1.37 to 2.82). A trend towards greater notification following condom-protected intercourse was observed (aPR, 95% CI: 1.33, 0.98 to 1.81). PN frequency did not differ by type of STI diagnosed.Anticipated notification predicted actual notification (aPR, 95% CI: 1.67, 1.19 to 2.33) only imperfectly: 81 (54%) participants’ PN practices did not match their anticipated behaviour. Successful notification despite anticipated silence (40 participants, 63 partners) was associated with stable partnerships and a normative perception of PN. Non-notification despite intention (43 participants, 73 partners) frequently occurred among participants reporting exclusively oral sex with the partner or with partners identified as activo (insertive role).ConclusionsAnticipated notification imperfectly reflects actual PN behaviour. Future interventions to improve PN among MSM-TW in Peru need to acknowledge partnership contexts.

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Potential interactions between the pathways to diagnosis of HIV and other STIs and HIV self-testing: insights from a qualitative study of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Singapore

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

10.1136/sextrans-2020-054623 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. sextrans-2020-054623

Author(s):

Rayner Kay Jin Tan ◽

Yin Ying Chan ◽

Muhamad Alif Bin Ibrahim ◽

Lai Peng Ho ◽

Oliver Zikai Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Testing ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Partner Notification ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Perceived Severity ◽

Sti Testing ◽

Self Testing ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Stis And Hiv ◽

The Cost

ObjectivesThis study draws on qualitative insights on the barriers and facilitators to HIV testing, as well as perceptions of HIV self-testing (HIVST), to propose a framework to understand not only the benefits but also potential knock-on implications of introducing HIVST in the context of other STI testing.MethodsWe conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews with 30 gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men aged 18 and 39 years old in Singapore. Interview topics included barriers and facilitators to HIV and other STI testing, as well as perceptions of HIVST. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsFor HIV testing, participants cited the perceived risk of acquiring, susceptibility to and symptoms of HIV as internal motivators, while social influence and accessibility of HIV testing services were external motivators. For STI testing, perceived symptoms and partner notification of STI were reported as internal and external motivators, respectively. Availability of bundle tests, starting a new relationship and instances of mandatory testing motivated both simultaneous HIV and other STI testing. The fear of a positive diagnosis and lack of confidentiality were cited as internal and external barriers to HIV testing, respectively, while low perceived severity of other STI and the cost of STI tests were cited as internal and external barriers to other STI testing, respectively. We identified pathways to HIV and other STI testing and discussed how the introduction of HIVST may reduce opportunities for other STI testing.ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that introducing HIVST might weaken linkages to other STI testing if alternative strategies of promoting other STI testing are not simultaneously implemented. We recommend that future interventions address both the risks of HIV and other STI simultaneously, and that structural interventions promoting HIV and other STI preventions be balanced accordingly.

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