Sexual Exposure to HIV Infection during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM): A Multicentric Study

Alvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa, Shirley Verônica Melo Almeida Lima, João Victor Rocha, Herica Emilia Félix de Carvalho, Artur Acelino Francisco Luz Nunes Queiroz, Guilherme Schneider, Layze Braz de Oliveira, Emerson Lucas Silva Camargo, Adélia Dalva da Silva Oliveira, Isabel Amélia Costa Mendes and Inês Fronteira
Additional contact information
Alvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Centro Universitário UNINOVAFAPI/AFYA, Piauí 64073-505, Brazil
Shirley Verônica Melo Almeida Lima: Núcleo de Investigação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju 49100-000, Brazil
João Victor Rocha: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
Herica Emilia Félix de Carvalho: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Artur Acelino Francisco Luz Nunes Queiroz: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Guilherme Schneider: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Layze Braz de Oliveira: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Emerson Lucas Silva Camargo: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Adélia Dalva da Silva Oliveira: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Centro Universitário UNINOVAFAPI/AFYA, Piauí 64073-505, Brazil
Isabel Amélia Costa Mendes: Human Exposome and Infectious Diseases Network, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Inês Fronteira: Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: The practice of sex with casual partners without the use of adequate prevention in the period of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) can expose them to the risk of infection by the HIV virus. To assess this, we conducted an online survey in April and May 2020 in the entire national territory of Brazil and Portugal. We used the snowball technique for sampling, associated with circulation in social networks, totaling 2934 participants. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to produce the adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR). Eight-hundred-and-forty-two (28.7%) MSM presented at-risk sexual exposure in this period. In general, the types of sexual practices that most increased the chances of sexual exposure were having multiple partners (aOR:14.045); having practiced chemsex (aOR:2.246) and group sex (aOR:2.431), as well as presenting a history of at-risk sexual exposure (aOR:5.136). When we consider each country separately, the chances are increased in Brazil since the probability of the outcome was increased in those who practiced group sex (aOR:5.928), had multiple partners (aOR:19.132), and reported a sexual history of at-risk exposure (aOR:8.861). Our findings indicate that practices that are classically associated with greater chances of engaging in risky sexual exposure to HIV infection were the factors that most increased the chances of acquiring the virus in the pandemic context.

Keywords: sexual exposure; HIV/AIDS; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; sexual behavior; men who have sex with men (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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