Testing In European Gay Sex Survey
posted: 26/01/2011
In June we asked gay and bi men to take part in the first Europe-wide web survey of HIV and sexual health risks and needs. Thank you to all who joined in.The first report is out now; it became the world’s largest survey of gay and bi men. 180,000+ gay and bi men took part and 10% were from the UK – 18,400 men.
Behind on testing
The UK has Europe’s fastest growth in HIV but the survey tells us gay men in many other countries are testing more often. More men tested in over a dozen countries last year than in the UK, including men in Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Russian men.
Two out of three gay and bi men in the UK haven’t had a HIV test in the last year as recommended. And around 1 in 3 UK gay and bi men have never taken a HIV test.
When did you test?
If you are a gay or bi man who has not been diagnosed with HIV, when was the last time you had a HIV test? Annual HIV tests make sense in NW England because around 1 in 10 men on the local scene have HIV, with about one third of those with HIV not knowing this.
Half the men who have never had a HIV test are convinced they don’t have HIV – but we know for sure some men are wrong about this. Most untested men think they probably don’t have HIV but some are not sure, and a few haven’t tested yet, even though they think they probably have HIV.
I Did It campaign
A national testing campaign is now running across England using outdoor, online and gay press adverts. The I Did It campaign believes men are more likely to take a HIV test if they hear positive things from other men about testing, whatever the result.
There's a new website to inspire and encourage men through hearing other men’s test stories. It has a handy local clinic finder, and men can come back and tell their own HIV test story.
Clips of positive men talking
Aside from men’s HIV test stories and the clinic finder, the website has key facts about HIV tests, a discussion forum for men to talk about testing, videos of positive men talking about receiving a positive test result, and information on the support available for men who test HIV positive.
G.A.Y. founder Jeremy Joseph has just taken a HIV test and talks about his own test result in PinkNews
Testing information and clinic finder THIVK - Test, Take Control
I Did It
The full European Sex Survey report will be out In September 2011. You can find more about the survey here
And the results are published here
UK reports dealing with HIV testing among gay and bi men:
Tactical Dangers – report of UK’s Gay Men’s Sex Survey 2008
Testing Targets – report of UK’s Gay Men’s Sex Survey 2007
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