{"database":"biostudies-literature","file_versions":[],"scores":null,"additional":{"submitter":["Wayal S"],"funding":["The National Institute for Health Research"],"pagination":["523-533"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6771985"],"repository":["biostudies-literature"],"omics_type":["Unknown"],"volume":["20(8)"],"pubmed_abstract":["<h4>Objectives</h4>In the UK, men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate sexually transmitted infection (STI) burden. We investigated MSM's STI knowledge; whether their STI testing behaviour met national guidelines (annually if sexually active; 3-monthly if engaging in STI risk behaviours); and the relationship between STI testing in the last 3 months, STI knowledge and STI risk behaviours by HIV status.<h4>Methods</h4>Sexually active (in the last year) men aged > 15 years who were UK residents and were recruited from gay-orientated online dating platforms completed an anonymous online survey about STI knowledge, STI risk behaviours, and STI testing (March-May 2017). This included 11 true statements about STIs. Respondents scored 1 for each statement they 'knew', with those scoring < 6 overall treated as having 'poor' STI knowledge. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were conducted, separately by HIV status, to test our hypothesis and calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).<h4>Results</h4>Compared to HIV-positive men (n = 489), the proportion of HIV-negative/unknown-status men (n = 3157) with 'poor' STI knowledge was significantly higher (46.4% versus 22.9% for HIV-positive men) and the proportion with STI testing in the last 12 months was lower (71.6% versus 87.2%, respectively). In the last 3 months, 56.9% of HIV-negative/unknown-status and 74.1% of HIV-positive men reported STI risk behaviours, of whom 45.8% and 55.1%, respectively, had been tested for STIs during this time. Among HIV-negative/unknown-status men, those reporting STI risk behaviours were more likely (AOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.26-1.84) and those with poor STI knowledge less likely (AOR 0.73; 95% CI 0.61-0.89) to have been tested during the last 3 months. However, neither factor was independently associated with 3-monthly testing among HIV-positive men.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Improving STI knowledge, especially among HIV-negative/unknown-status men, and promoting frequent STI testing among men engaging in STI risk behaviours are vital to address the poor sexual health of MSM."],"journal":["HIV medicine"],"pubmed_title":["Association between knowledge, risk behaviours, and testing for sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men: findings from a large online survey in the United Kingdom."],"pmcid":["PMC6771985"],"funding_grant_id":["163057"],"pubmed_authors":["Weatherburn P","Wayal S","Hughes G","Mercer CH","Fabiane S","Blomquist P","Reid D"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"Association between knowledge, risk behaviours, and testing for sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men: findings from a large online survey in the United Kingdom.","description":"<h4>Objectives</h4>In the UK, men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate sexually transmitted infection (STI) burden. We investigated MSM's STI knowledge; whether their STI testing behaviour met national guidelines (annually if sexually active; 3-monthly if engaging in STI risk behaviours); and the relationship between STI testing in the last 3 months, STI knowledge and STI risk behaviours by HIV status.<h4>Methods</h4>Sexually active (in the last year) men aged > 15 years who were UK residents and were recruited from gay-orientated online dating platforms completed an anonymous online survey about STI knowledge, STI risk behaviours, and STI testing (March-May 2017). This included 11 true statements about STIs. Respondents scored 1 for each statement they 'knew', with those scoring < 6 overall treated as having 'poor' STI knowledge. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were conducted, separately by HIV status, to test our hypothesis and calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).<h4>Results</h4>Compared to HIV-positive men (n = 489), the proportion of HIV-negative/unknown-status men (n = 3157) with 'poor' STI knowledge was significantly higher (46.4% versus 22.9% for HIV-positive men) and the proportion with STI testing in the last 12 months was lower (71.6% versus 87.2%, respectively). In the last 3 months, 56.9% of HIV-negative/unknown-status and 74.1% of HIV-positive men reported STI risk behaviours, of whom 45.8% and 55.1%, respectively, had been tested for STIs during this time. Among HIV-negative/unknown-status men, those reporting STI risk behaviours were more likely (AOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.26-1.84) and those with poor STI knowledge less likely (AOR 0.73; 95% CI 0.61-0.89) to have been tested during the last 3 months. However, neither factor was independently associated with 3-monthly testing among HIV-positive men.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Improving STI knowledge, especially among HIV-negative/unknown-status men, and promoting frequent STI testing among men engaging in STI risk behaviours are vital to address the poor sexual health of MSM.","dates":{"release":"2019-01-01T00:00:00Z","publication":"2019 Sep","modification":"2022-02-09T12:01:44.216Z","creation":"2019-10-16T07:05:51Z"},"accession":"S-EPMC6771985","cross_references":{"pubmed":["31124278"],"doi":["10.1111/hiv.12753"]}}