High prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men in Zhejiang, China: a respondent-driven sampling survey

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of HIV and risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM) and to explore the feasibility of using respondent-driven sampling in this population in order to conduct customised interventions among MSM in the future. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Zhejiang, China. PARTICIPANTS: 1316 MSM. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV prevalence rates and factors associated with HIV infection; sociodemographic and behavioural information of participants, syphilis prevalence rates. RESULTS: The adjusted prevalence of HIV and syphilis were 13.8% and 11.4%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that higher educational level, support treatment of HIV, negative syphilis are protective factors of HIV infection. MSM who had heterosexual behaviour before and whose primary sexual partner was HIV-positive were less likely to be infected with HIV compared with their counterparts, while frequency of sexual behaviour with primary sexual partner was positively associated with HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: This survey confirmed a high HIV prevalence among MSM in Zhejiang province. MSM are extremely vulnerable to HIV infection and comprehensive interventions are urgently needed to slow the spread of HIV among MSM.