A cross-sectional survey of MSM in two Chinese cities shows a high prevalence of HIV infection, low rates of condom use, and widespread use of the Internet to find sex partners.
The HIV epidemic in China has historically centered around contaminated blood supplies and intravenous drug use. Now, investigators describe a burgeoning HIV epidemic there among men who have sex with men (MSM).
Face-to-face interviews were conducted in two Chinese cities among 429 MSM who were recruited via the Internet. Most were young and well-educated and self-identified as homosexual. Only 60% to 66% of the men reported condom use during their most recent episode of anal intercourse, whether insertive or receptive. Most of the men perceived themselves to be at little or no risk for HIV infection (60%) and had never been tested (52%). Interestingly, those who perceived higher levels of risk had lower rates of condom use. The Internet was…