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HIV Infection and Associated Risks Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in Miami Beach
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JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 2003; 33(2):223-231
*Robert D. Webster; *William W. Darrow; Jay P. Paul; *Randall A. Roark;
William J. Woods; *Robert R. Stempel. Department of Public Health, College of
Health and Urban Affairs, Florida International University, Miami, Florida,
and Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of
California at San Francisco, California
Several recent studies have reported high rates of sexual risk-taking and HIV
infection among young men who have sex with men (MSM). Most of these studies
used samples of convenience. The authors obtained population-based data on
young MSM living in South Beach (Miami Beach, Florida), a resort community where
some of the highest AIDS rates in the United States have been reported.
A household probability sample was drawn to survey unmarried 18- to
29-year-old MSM living in South Beach. Subjects were interviewed, completed
self-administered questionnaires, and provided oral specimens for HIV antibody testing.
From the 2,622 screened residential units, 100 mostly white and Hispanic MSM
(92.6% of eligible participants) were enrolled in the study. Fifteen percent
of the sample tested positive for antibodies to HIV. White and Hispanic MSM had
similar rates. Forty-five percent of the sample reported engaging in
unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in the prior 12 months, and 31% reported UAI with a
nonprimary partner. The estimated annual incidence of HIV infection was 6.3%.
The high prevalences of UAI and HIV infection in South Beach attest to a
previously undocumented public health concern. The extremely high estimated
incidence for young MSM in South Beach highlights the urgent need for more effective risk-reduction interventions and further epidemiological research on resort areas.
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