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EMIS 2017 Journal Articles 2017

Determinants of HIV Testing Among Migrant Men Who Have Sex With Men from Sub‐Saharan Africa and Other Regions Residing in 10 European Countries

AIDS and Behavior 2024; (doi: 10.1007/s10461-023-04239-1)

Authors: Oladipupo Shobowale, Axel J. Schmidt, Paula Meireles, Daniela Rojas Castro, Sandrine Detandt, Sarah E. Stutterheim, Peter Weatherburn, Kai J. Jonas

Abstract

Migrant men who have sex with men (mMSM) from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and other regions outside Europe are highly vulnerable to HIV. However, research on the determinants of HIV testing among mMSM from SSA, and how these differ across the categories of mMSM living in Europe, is limited.

Using data from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS- 2017), we assessed HIV testing prevalence and recency in mMSM from SSA and other mMSM residing in ten European countries, as well as the determinants of HIV testing across different mMSM categories with logistic regression analyses.

Ever-testing for HIV was slightly higher in mMSM from SSA (83%) compared to other mMSM categories (75–80%), except for mMSM from Latin America and Caribbean region (84%). Overall, 20% of mMSM had never tested. In multivariable analysis, higher age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.10), higher HIV knowledge (AOR 1.45, 95%-CI 1.11–1.90), and residence in smaller settlements (AOR 0.45, 95%-CI 0.21–0.96) were significantly associated with ever testing for HIV in mMSM from SSA. Comparing mMSM from SSA to mMSM from other regions, we found varying significant similarities (higher age, residence in smaller settlements and HIV knowledge) and differences (lower educational attainment, not identifying as gay, being a student, and limited disclosure of homosexual attraction) in the determinants of ever-testing for HIV.

Community-specific interventions addressing identified sociodemographic and behavioral determinants to increase HIV testing uptake in the different mMSM categories and better data for further research are warranted.

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EMIS 2017 National reports 2017

EMIS-2017 National Reports

Since data collection has closed in February 2018, we have distributed 39 country of residence datasets to our EMIS-2017 partners who are working on a wide range of national reports, in a variety of formats. As these reports are published they will be added here. No datasets were requested from Luxemburg, Bosnia iH, Iceland, or Turkey. As of July 2023, 22 countries have provided at least one national report. Many countries were interrupted in their report writing by the COVID-19 pandemic. We might still receive a report from the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Slovakia. No reports are expected from Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Lebanon, Lithuania, Latvia, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, the Philippines, or the United Kingdom.

EMIS-2017: Austria EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Belarus EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Belgium (België) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Belgium (Belgique) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Canada (main report) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Canada (Infographic summary) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Czechia EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Cyprus EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Denmark EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Estonia EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: France EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Germany EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Greece (1) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Greece (2) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Main Report) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Community Report 1) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Community Report 2) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Community Report 3) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Community Report 4) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Infographic Demographics) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Infographic Health) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Infographic Behaviours) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Infographic Needs) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Infographic Interventions) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ireland (Health technology assessment for PrEP) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Israel EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Italy EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Malta EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Moldova EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Norway EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Russia EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Spain EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Sweden EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Switzerland (Suisse) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Switzerland (Schweiz) EMIS-2017 National Reports

EMIS-2017: Ukraine EMIS-2017 National Reports

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EMIS 2017 Journal Articles 2017

Changes in the prevalence of self-reported sexually transmitted bacterial infections from 2010 and 2017 in two large European samples of men having sex with men – is it time to re-evaluate STI-screening as a control strategy?

PLoS ONE, 2021; 16(3): e0248582 (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248582).

Authors: Ulrich Marcus, Massimo Mirandola, Susanne B Schink, Lorenzo Gios, Axel J Schmidt

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Many European countries reported increased numbers of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM) in recent years. Behaviour changes and increased testing are thought to drive these increases.

Methods: In 2010 and 2017, two large online surveys for MSM in Europe (EMIS-2010, EMIS-2017) collected self-reported data on STI diagnoses in the previous 12 months, diagnostic procedures, STI symptoms when testing, number of sexual partners, and sexual behaviours such as condom use during the last intercourse with a non-steady partner in 46 European countries. Multivariate regression models were used to analyse factors associated with diagnoses of syphilis, gonorrhoea/chlamydia, and respective diagnoses classified as symptomatic and asymptomatic. If applicable, they included country-level screening rates.

Results: Questions on STI diagnoses and sexual behaviours were answered by 156,018 (2010) and 125,837 (2017) participants. Between 2010 and 2017, overall diagnoses with gonorrhoea/chlamydia and syphilis increased by 76% and 83% across countries. Increases were more pronounced for asymptomatic compared to symptomatic infections. The proportion of respondents screened and the frequency of screening grew considerably. Condomless anal intercourse with the last non-steady partner rose by 62%; self-reported partner numbers grew. Increased syphilis diagnoses were largely explained by behavioural changes (including more frequent screening). Gonorrhoea/chlamydia increases were mainly explained by more screening and a change in testing performance. A country variable representing the proportion of men screened for asymptomatic infection was positively associated with reporting symptomatic gonorrhoea/chlamydia, but not syphilis.

Discussion/Conclusion: The positive association of country-level screening rates with the proportion of symptomatic infections with gonorrhoea/chlamydia may indicate a paradoxical effect of screening on incidence of symptomatic infections. Treatment of asymptomatic men might render them more susceptible to new infections, while spontaneous clearance may result in reduced susceptibility. Before expanding screening programmes, evidence of the effects of screening and treatment is warranted.

Available FREE online

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EMIS 2010 Journal Articles 2010

Changes in the prevalence of self-reported sexually transmitted bacterial infections from 2010 and 2017 in two large European samples of men having sex with men – is it time to re-evaluate STI-screening as a control strategy?

PLoS ONE, 2021; 16(3): e0248582 (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248582).

Authors: Ulrich Marcus, Massimo Mirandola, Susanne B Schink, Lorenzo Gios, Axel J Schmidt

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Many European countries reported increased numbers of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM) in recent years. Behaviour changes and increased testing are thought to drive these increases.

Methods: In 2010 and 2017, two large online surveys for MSM in Europe (EMIS-2010, EMIS-2017) collected self-reported data on STI diagnoses in the previous 12 months, diagnostic procedures, STI symptoms when testing, number of sexual partners, and sexual behaviours such as condom use during the last intercourse with a non-steady partner in 46 European countries. Multivariate regression models were used to analyse factors associated with diagnoses of syphilis, gonorrhoea/chlamydia, and respective diagnoses classified as symptomatic and asymptomatic. If applicable, they included country-level screening rates.

Results: Questions on STI diagnoses and sexual behaviours were answered by 156,018 (2010) and 125,837 (2017) participants. Between 2010 and 2017, overall diagnoses with gonorrhoea/chlamydia and syphilis increased by 76% and 83% across countries. Increases were more pronounced for asymptomatic compared to symptomatic infections. The proportion of respondents screened and the frequency of screening grew considerably. Condomless anal intercourse with the last non-steady partner rose by 62%; self-reported partner numbers grew. Increased syphilis diagnoses were largely explained by behavioural changes (including more frequent screening). Gonorrhoea/chlamydia increases were mainly explained by more screening and a change in testing performance. A country variable representing the proportion of men screened for asymptomatic infection was positively associated with reporting symptomatic gonorrhoea/chlamydia, but not syphilis.

Discussion/Conclusion: The positive association of country-level screening rates with the proportion of symptomatic infections with gonorrhoea/chlamydia may indicate a paradoxical effect of screening on incidence of symptomatic infections. Treatment of asymptomatic men might render them more susceptible to new infections, while spontaneous clearance may result in reduced susceptibility. Before expanding screening programmes, evidence of the effects of screening and treatment is warranted.

Available FREE online

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EMIS 2017 International reports 2017

EMIS-2017: European Report

The EMIS Network. EMIS-2017 – The European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey. Key findings from 50 countries.

Report details:
Stockholm, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2019 (ISBN 978-92-9498-341-1).

Suggested citation:
The EMIS Network. EMIS-2017 – The European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey. Key findings from 50 countries. Stockholm: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; 2019.

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EMIS 2017 International reports 2017

Maps for “Dublin Declaration Monitoring” 2017

The EMIS Network. EMIS-2017 – The European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey. Maps from the EMIS-2017 Report.

Authors: Peter Weatherburn, Ford Hickson, David S. Reid, Susanne B. Schink, Ulrich Marcus, Axel J. Schmidt

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EMIS 2010 Journal Articles 2010

Проектът ЕМIS – участие на България. Резултати от хив-тестването на респондентите

Health Policy and Management, 2014; 2:21–26. (ISSN1313-4981)

Authors: Emilia Naseva, Tonka Varleva, Petar Tsintsarski, Eva Papazova, Vyara Gancheva, Hristo Taskov

Abstract

The group of men who have sex with men (MSM), is the most affected by HIV, both in Western and Central European countries and in our country. Therefore, the European Commission has funded internet study of MSM community in 33 countries, covering the period from April 2009 to September 2011. The respondents from Bulgaria are 1036. The results of the study in our country showed that more than half of the involved subjects (52.3%) identified themselves as gay or homosexual, one in four (27.7%) considered themselves as bisexual, and 17.1% do not use any term to define their sexual behaviour. Those who claim to know their HIV status are only 68.5% of all respondents; the remaining 31.2% are not sure. It is a concern that a significant proportion (61.4%) of respondents who did not know their HIV status and are sure that they are HIV negative. The information from the survey could be used as a corrective to the already taken initiatives and as a supplement to the new prevention strategies when planning new activities for reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Bulgaria at national and regional level. [Article in Bulgarian]

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