The number of gay men in Glasgow and Edinburgh who had recently tested for HIV increased from 28% in 1996 to 33% in 2005, researchers report in a study published online by Sexually Transmitted Infections.
The researchers conducted seven different surveys with customers in commercial gay venues during the nine-year period. However the number of men recruited to each survey and their age breakdown (the only demographic information that is provided) varied from survey to survey, which may suggest that these convenience samples are not directly comparable.
A total of 8305 men were included in the analysis. Men who had tested in the year of the survey or the previous year were defined as recent testers.
The proportion reporting that they had ever had an HIV test increased from 50 to 58% over the nine-year period, and the proportion having tested 'recently increased from 28 to 33%. These changes were statistically significant.
However, when the analysis was restricted to men who had ever tested, the proportion who had done so recently did not increase from year to year.
As men got older, they were more likely to have tested at some point in their lives. However they were less likely to have tested recently: taking all the surveys together, 30% of 25 to 34 year olds had done so, compared to 21% of those aged 45 and over.
The authors say that their findings show that HIV testing remained a one-off event, and that few men became regular or repeat testers.
There has been a move in recent years towards testing becoming routine and opt-out in sexual health clinics (this became official Scottish policy in 2005, the last year of the study), and in 2008 the Health Protection Agency called for gay men to have annual HIV tests. The authors believe that additional, innovative efforts are required to increase the uptake of HIV testing, including challenges to HIV stigma and work to normalise regular testing at the community level.
Refererence
Williamson LM et al. HIV testing trends among gay men in Scotland, UK (1996-2005): implications for HIV testing policies and prevention. Sexually Transmitted Infections (online edition), 2009.