# HIV Screening Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Women in New Orleans, LA

## TL;DR

This study examines HIV testing rates among young Black men in New Orleans who have sex with women, finding that less than half have ever been tested and highlighting factors associated with testing behavior.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into HIV screening behaviors and disparities among a high-risk demographic in New Orleans.

## Key findings

- Only 52.5% of young Black men who have sex with women reported ever being HIV tested.
- 45.3% of those eligible for annual HIV screening reported being tested in the previous year.
- Older age, prior STI testing, and prior incarceration were associated with having ever received an HIV test.

## Abstract

There are significant disparities in HIV acquisition, with Black individuals facing disproportionately more new diagnoses. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people aged 13–64 should be tested at least once in their lifetime, and men at increased risk (e.g., those who have male sexual contact, multiple partners, have partners with multiple partners, or share drug injection equipment) should be tested annually. The study included young Black men who have sex with women (MSW), aged 15–26, and who live in New Orleans, LA. Survey data was used to elicit the frequency and factors associated with three self-reported outcomes: (1) history of ever HIV testing, (2) HIV screening in the last year among those who were recommended per CDC, and (3) HIV positivity. Of the 1321 men included, 694/1321 men (52.5%) reported ever having been HIV tested. There were 708/1321 (54.2%) men who met the recommendation for annual screening and 321/708 (45.3%) of these eligible men reported being tested in the previous year. Of those ever tested, 44/694 (6.3%) self-reported testing positive. In logistic regression analysis, older age (OR: 1.27, p < 0.001), prior STI testing (OR: 6.45, p < 0.001), and prior incarceration (OR:1.70, p = 0.006) were positively associated with having ever received an HIV test, and ever having a male partner (OR: 3.63, p = 0.014) was associated with HIV positivity. Initiatives to improve HIV testing rates among young Black men who have sex with women are needed to reduce the burden of HIV and help the End the Epidemic initiative.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10461-024-04354-7.