MSM in Tijuana, Baja California who attended a gay pride event on June 19–20, 2010 called “Inclusion in Revolution,” which was held at the Plaza Santa Cecilia in downtown Tijuana, were approached by volunteers to participate in an anonymous survey. The findings from this study will help to inform and direct HIV prevention efforts for MSM in the Tijuana border region. Since little is known about factors associated with UAI among MSM in Mexico, we examined the prevalence and correlates of unprotected anal sex (UAI) in a sample of MSM who frequented gay establishments in Tijuana. and other developed countries has identified a number of risk factors for UAI, including socio-demographic characteristics such as age and ethnicity, sexual partner type, venues where MSM go to meet sex partners, and illicit drug use before and during sex. Despite a national HIV strategy and substantial efforts to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Mexico, data are scarce to inform HIV prevention and intervention programs for MSM in Tijuana. A comparison of the Tijuana sample with San Diego-residing MSM revealed that Tijuana MSM were significantly more likely to report sex with females and injection drug use. Less than 50% of the Tijuana sample had ever been tested for HIV, and 43% had never received any HIV prevention education. Ruiz reported an HIV seroprevalence rate of 19% in a sample of 249 MSM aged 18–29 living in Tijuana. Recent data on HIV seroprevalence among MSM in Tijuana are lacking.
border, and it is experiencing an escalating HIV epidemic.
It is located adjacent to San Diego, California, on the U.S. Tijuana is Baja California’s largest city, with approximately 1.4 million inhabitants. īaja California has the second highest cumulative AIDS incidence among Mexico’s 32 states. HIV prevalence among MSM was estimated to be between 10% and 13.5% in 2006. In 2007, unprotected sex between men accounted for 40.3% of all new sexually transmitted AIDS cases in Mexico. In Mexico, the largest percentage of persons living with AIDS are men who have sex with men (MSM). Interventions to promote HIV testing and condom use among men who have sex with men may want to consider venue-specific approaches, as well as focus on drug-use issues in the context of unsafe sex.
Factors independently associated with UAI in the past year were unemployment (AOR = 1.87), attending adult movie theaters (AOR = 2.21), using illicit drugs before or during sex (AOR = 2.43), and not having a recent HIV test (AOR = 1.85).
Overall, 50% reported having UAI with another male in the past year. In the past year, 55% had been tested for HIV, 21% reported using illicit drugs before or during sex, and 94% had sex only with men. Mean age of participants was 29.7 54% had a high school diploma or less and 43% were unemployed. Men who reported UAI with a male partner in the past year were compared with men who reported only protected anal sex during the same period. In June 2010, men attending a gay pride celebration were invited to complete a sexual risk survey. This study investigated the prevalence and correlates of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in a sample of 260 MSM in Tijuana, Mexico. Although men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in Mexico, data on current risk behaviors in this population are lacking.