scholarly journals A Technology-Based Intervention Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men and Nonbinary People (The Conectad@s Project): Protocol for A Vanguard Mixed Methods Study

10.2196/34885 ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e34885
Author(s):  
Thiago Silva Torres ◽  
Emilia Moreira Jalil ◽  
Lara Esteves Coelho ◽  
Daniel Rodrigues Barros Bezerra ◽  
Cristina Moreira Jalil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Hiv Prevention Strategies ◽  
Adherence Intervention ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Prevention Counseling ◽  
Biomedical Interventions

Background In many parts of the world, including Brazil, uptake for biomedical interventions has been insufficient to reverse the HIV epidemic among key populations at high risk for HIV, including men who have sex with men. Young MSM (YMSM), particularly Black YMSM, have high HIV incidence, low viral suppression, and low preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and adherence. Therefore, novel approaches to increase the HIV biomedical interventions uptake by YMSM are urgently needed. Objective We describe the Conectad@s Project, which aims to: (1) estimate the prevalence and incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the onset of sexual risk behavior, and barriers to biomedical interventions among YMSM aged 18 to 24 years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and (2) conduct a technology-based adherence intervention study to promote a rapid linkage of YMSM to HIV care or prevention, and support and sustain adherence. Methods A cross-sectional survey will be conducted with 400 YMSM recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) adapted for social media-based sampling, preceded by a formative phase. HIV and sexually transmitted infections testing will be conducted, including early HIV infection biomarker detection. Behavioral, partnership, network, and structural measures will be collected through structured questionnaires. All individuals recruited for the survey will have access to HIV risk assessment, antiretroviral therapy (ART), PrEP, prevention counseling, and a technology-based adherence intervention. Those who accept the adherence intervention will receive weekly text messages via a social networking app (WhatsApp) for 24 weeks, with follow-up data collected over 48 weeks. Results The Conectad@s project has been approved by our local institutional review board (#CAAE 26086719.0.0000.4262) in accordance with all applicable regulations. Questionnaires for the RDS survey and intervention were developed and tested in 2020, formative interviews were conducted in January and February 2021 to guide the development of the RDS, and enrollment is planned to begin in early 2022. Conclusions The Conectad@s Project is a vanguard study that, for the first time, will apply digital RDS to sample and recruit YMSM in Brazil and rapidly connect them to ART, PrEP, or prevention counseling through a technology-based adherence intervention. RDS will allow us to estimate HIV prevalence among YMSM and measure HIV infection biomarkers in the context of the onset of risky behavior. The data will lay the groundwork to adapt and implement HIV prevention strategies, identify barriers to the earliest HIV infection diagnosis, immediate ART or PrEP initiation, and detect new clusters of HIV transmission. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/34885

scholarly journals A Technology-Based Intervention Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men and Nonbinary People (The Conectad@s Project): Protocol for A Vanguard Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiago Silva Torres ◽  
Emilia Moreira Jalil ◽  
Lara Esteves Coelho ◽  
Daniel Rodrigues Barros Bezerra ◽  
Cristina Moreira Jalil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Hiv Prevention Strategies ◽  
Adherence Intervention ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Prevention Counseling ◽  
Biomedical Interventions

BACKGROUND In many parts of the world, including Brazil, uptake for biomedical interventions has been insufficient to reverse the HIV epidemic among key populations at high risk for HIV, including men who have sex with men. Young MSM (YMSM), particularly Black YMSM, have high HIV incidence, low viral suppression, and low preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and adherence. Therefore, novel approaches to increase the HIV biomedical interventions uptake by YMSM are urgently needed. OBJECTIVE We describe the Conectad@s Project, which aims to: (1) estimate the prevalence and incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the onset of sexual risk behavior, and barriers to biomedical interventions among YMSM aged 18 to 24 years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and (2) conduct a technology-based adherence intervention study to promote a rapid linkage of YMSM to HIV care or prevention, and support and sustain adherence. METHODS A cross-sectional survey will be conducted with 400 YMSM recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) adapted for social media-based sampling, preceded by a formative phase. HIV and sexually transmitted infections testing will be conducted, including early HIV infection biomarker detection. Behavioral, partnership, network, and structural measures will be collected through structured questionnaires. All individuals recruited for the survey will have access to HIV risk assessment, antiretroviral therapy (ART), PrEP, prevention counseling, and a technology-based adherence intervention. Those who accept the adherence intervention will receive weekly text messages via a social networking app (WhatsApp) for 24 weeks, with follow-up data collected over 48 weeks. RESULTS The Conectad@s project has been approved by our local institutional review board (#CAAE 26086719.0.0000.4262) in accordance with all applicable regulations. Questionnaires for the RDS survey and intervention were developed and tested in 2020, formative interviews were conducted in January and February 2021 to guide the development of the RDS, and enrollment is planned to begin in early 2022. CONCLUSIONS The Conectad@s Project is a vanguard study that, for the first time, will apply digital RDS to sample and recruit YMSM in Brazil and rapidly connect them to ART, PrEP, or prevention counseling through a technology-based adherence intervention. RDS will allow us to estimate HIV prevalence among YMSM and measure HIV infection biomarkers in the context of the onset of risky behavior. The data will lay the groundwork to adapt and implement HIV prevention strategies, identify barriers to the earliest HIV infection diagnosis, immediate ART or PrEP initiation, and detect new clusters of HIV transmission. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/34885

scholarly journals Changes in the profile of newly HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men, Madrid, 2014 to 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (47) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskar Ayerdi Aguirrebengoa ◽  
Mar Vera Garcia ◽  
Teresa Puerta López ◽  
Petunia Clavo Escribano ◽  
Juan Ballesteros Martín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
Hiv Prevention Strategies ◽  
Young Msm ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

Introduction Knowing the factors associated with HIV transmission is necessary in order to design preventive programmes tailored to the epidemiological situation in each region and population. Aim Our objective was to study the sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics of men who have sex with men (MSM) who were newly diagnosed with HIV infection. Methods We carried out an observational, descriptive, study on all MSM newly diagnosed with HIV infection in one clinic for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV clinic in Madrid between 2014 and 2019. Information on sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioural characteristics of participants per year of diagnosis was collected. Results We detected a total of 1,398 people with HIV infection, 253 of whom were recent seroconverters (rSCV) with a median duration of documented seroconversion of 6 months. From the total, 97.9% infections were sexually transmitted and 2.1% involved injected drugs, i.e. slam practices. The average age was 32.9 years (range: 15.6–74.9), 51.8% were Spanish and 40% Latin American. These diagnoses decreased in Spanish people and increased in Latin Americans during the study period. Of the rSCV, 73.9% had condomless sex under the influence of drugs and 28.9% participated in chemsex sessions. Apps were used by 92.6% rSCV for sexual encounters and 70.4% of them attributed HIV transmission to their use. Conclusions Combination of HIV prevention strategies, as pre-exposure prophylaxis, should be reinforced among young MSM, especially those born in Latin America, those who use drugs for sex, and those who use apps in search of sexual contacts.

scholarly journals Sexually transmitted infections associated with alcohol use and HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Kampala, Uganda

2015 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn J Kim ◽  
Wolfgang Hladik ◽  
Joseph Barker ◽  
George Lubwama ◽  
Samuel Sendagala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men

scholarly journals 1527. Incident Sexually Transmitted Infections among Southern Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV in the Era of Biomedical Prevention

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S764-S765
Author(s):  
Ronnie M Gravett ◽  
John D Cleveland ◽  
Edgar T Overton ◽  
Jeanne Marrazzo ◽  
Jeanne Marrazzo
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Incidence Rate ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Virologic Suppression ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Incident Rates ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background Sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV disproportionately affect men who have sex with men (MSM) in the U.S. Deep South. The South also continues to bear the majority of incident HIV in the U.S.; concomitantly, STIs have increased among MSM in this region. HIV virologic suppression effectively prevents sexual transmission of HIV (treatment as prevention, TasP), but STIs occur commonly in MSM living with HIV despite this. Here, we describe the incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia in MSM living with HIV in the context of their viral load (VL) management from 2016 to 2019. Methods We analyzed data from adult MSM living with HIV from 2016-2019 in HIV care in Birmingham, AL. Eligible MSM were prospectively enrolled in the CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Sites (CNICS) and had documentation of at least one HIV viral load and one STI test (gonorrhea or chlamydia at any anatomic site) in the same calendar year. Demographic data is presented by year. STI incident rates were calculated by year by viral load (VL) category, suppressed (VL < 200 copies/ml) and unsuppressed (VL ≥ 200 copies/ml), with incident rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals for comparing suppressed VL to unsuppressed VL. Results The study cohort included 943, 1084, 1080, and 1106 MSM in each year from 2016-2019, respectively. Of these men, 551 (58%), 623 (58%), 639 (63%), and 676 (61%) were Black or African American with a median age (years) of 46, 45, 44, and 43 from 2016-2019. Most had VL < 200 (79%, 81%, 82%, and 80% from 2016-2019). There were 100, 131, 139, and 168 men with positive GC or CT results per year from 2016-2019. The annual incident rates per 100 person years (PY) for MSM by suppressed and unsuppressed VL as well as IRR are presented in Table 1; the IRR ranged from 3.00-4.34 through the study period. Figure 1 shows incidence rate by VL category. Figure 1. Incidence Rate by Viral Load Category. PY, person years. Conclusion In this cohort, incident bacterial STIs were common and increased each year in this analysis for both groups, reflecting national STI trends. MSM with suppressed VL had higher bacterial STI incidence rates and higher risk for incident STI compared to MSM with unsuppressed VL. Novel approaches to STI prevention, such as pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis or vaccines, are necessary to alter the STI epidemic in this population and limit its impact on HIV transmission. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Senegal

AIDS ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (18) ◽  
pp. 2133-2140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoulaye Sidibe Wade ◽  
Coumba Toure Kane ◽  
Pape Amadou Niang Diallo ◽  
Abdou Khoudia Diop ◽  
Khady Gueye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document