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Citation
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Mosley M, Wilton L, Greene E, Tieu H, Paige M, Nandi V, Frye V. J. Int. AIDS Soc. 2021; 24(S4): 54-56. |
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Abstract
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Oral abstracts of the 11th IAS Conference on HIV Science, 18-21 July 2021 OAD0304
Background: Meta-analyses have established that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) who experienced childhood sexual abuse are significantly more likely to report HIV-related outcomes, such as condomless anal intercourse, sex after alcohol and drug use and HIV acquisition. A recent study in the United States (US) on the impact of "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs) on MSM sexual health found that ACEs were significantly associated with condomless anal intercourse. However, no significant association was reported between ACE exposure and HIV testing, the gateway to post-/pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis (PEP/PrEP), a cornerstone of the HIV prevention strategy in the US. Limited data are available on the association between childhood/young-adulthood sexual violence experiences (SVEs) and PrEP use in later life among MSM of colour.
Methods: Using baseline data from TRUST, an NIH-funded randomized and attention-control trial of an HIV self-testing intervention for young, Black/African-American MSM, and standard uni- and bi-variate descriptive statistics (Chi-square and t-tests), we assessed relations among SVEs on recent HIV testing in the past three months and recent PrEP use among 372 HIV-negative MSM of colour. SVEs assessed perceptions of "first experience of anal sex" and asked participants to recall if it was "forced," "coerced," "non-consensual" or "for survival." We also assessed if they had a "sexual experience prior to age 18 that was forced, pressured or otherwise unwelcome."
Results: Nearly a third of the sample (mean age = 24 years, SD = 5) experienced forced or pressured first sexual experiences; nearly two-thirds reported a sexual experience prior to age 18 with a partner five or more years older and/or that was forced, coerced, or otherwise unwanted. In bivariate analyses, no associations were found between SVE and recent HIV testing or PrEP use among this sample of MSM of colour.
Conclusions: Although no associations were identified between childhood/adolescence SVEs and HIV testing and PrEP uptake in later life, provider knowledge of exposures is needed to deliver optimal, trauma-informed sexual healthcare to MSM of colour. More research is needed to determine whether experiences of adulthood violence and/or an accumulation of childhood SVEs/ACEs over time relate to multiple HIV preventive behaviours among MSM of colour.
Language: en |