Study on The Hong Kong Men who have Sex with other Men
¡@¡@Professor Joseph Lau Tak Fai, Director of the Centre, reported a summary of the main findings of the study. It is estimated that about 4.6% of all adult men of age 18-60 in Hong Kong had ever had MSM behaviors (sexual intercourse with another man); 2% of all adult men had such MSM behaviors in the last 6 months. These figures are very comparable to the figures reported in the US and the UK. ¡@¡@It is found that 24.6% of those who had MSM behaviors in the last 6 months had had anal sex with another man. In the last 6 months and among those MSM having anal sex, 51.4% had had 3 or more male sex partners; 11% contracted STD; 20.6% have performed an HIV antibody test and 3.5% had participated in HIV prevention activities. (For the non-anal-sex MSM group, 17.7% had had 3 or more male sex partners, 4% contracted STD, 11.9% had had HIV antibody test and 7% joined relevant activities). In the future, the anal sex group had 34.5% of its member not perceiving any chance to contract HIV and 40.4% perceived that it is not possible at all for them to use condoms consistently during MSM behaviors. (For the non-anal-sex group, 60.2% perceived that they would have no chance of contracting HIV in the future and 59.2% would have no chance at all of using condoms consistently). Among all MSM respondents, only 25.8% quoted HIV prevention as the most important reason for using condoms (46.2% related to STD prevention, 8.6% for fear of transmitting HIV/STD to sex partners and 23% for other reasons). ¡@¡@In the last 6 months, of the anal sex group, about 19% had had commercial sex behaviors and only 35.7% used condoms consistently; 23% had 3 or more non-commercial sex partners (of whom 43% used condoms consistently). In the last episode of MSM anal sex, condoms were used 44% of the time. A total of 26% of the non-users attributed non-availability as the main reason for not using condom. Therefore, condom distribution to MSM is still warranted. ¡@¡@It is hence seen that the practice of unsafe sex among MSM, especially those with anal sex, is quite common. HIV prevention programme seems to have low coverage and needs to be improved. Only a minority of the MSM had tested for HIV antibody and a number of infections may be undetected. Professor Lau points out that Hong Kong workers on HIV prevention should promote HIV testing and carry out a community based HIV surveillance system to monitor the situations. Such programmes have been recommended in many countries but had not been in place in Hong Kong. ¡@¡@Another important finding of the study is that among those MSM who had had sex with men in the last 6 months, it is estimated that about 15.2% had had sex with a man in Mainland China. These cross-border MSM sex-networkers tended to be older and having lower education level; they also tended not to per condom use as a useful means of preventing contracting HIV via anal sex. In the past 6 months, about 26% of these cross-border MSM sex-networkers contracted STD (versus 2.1% for other MSM); 44% had 3 or more male sex partners (versus 21% for other MSM); 81% were bisexual (versus 60% for other MSM). Besides, among those cross-border sex-networkers having anal sex, 75% involved in commercial sex and 83.3% did not use condoms when having anal sex in the last 6 months. ¡@¡@Professor Lau said, therefore, HIV prevention in Hong Kong needs to take the Pearl delta region into account. Such mirrors the situation of many people having cross-border heterosexual commercial sex and even intravenous drug use in Mainland China. ¡@¡@In Mainland China, HIV surveillance and prevention work has just gained its momentum in the last 2-3 years. MSM often had unprotected sex and HIV infection may be increasing in this group. It is estimated that about 11% of the over 1 million HIV/AIDS cases in China could be attributed to MSM sexual activities. Professor Lau suggests the Hong Kong should work together with Shenzhen and the adjacent regions to promote HIV testing, prevention and research, so as to control the epidemic.
Media may contact Professor Joseph TF Lau, Director of the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics for further details at tel: 9260 1797. |