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Increases in HIV Testing Frequency in Australian Gay and Bisexual Men are Concentrated Among PrEP Users: An Analysis of Australian Behavioural Surveillance Data, 2013–2018

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Abstract

Increasing HIV testing frequency in gay and bisexual men (GBM) is critical to reducing the time between HIV infection and diagnosis. Using anonymous national behavioural surveillance data (2013–2018) from 43,753 surveys of Australian GBM, we examined HIV testing frequency trends and factors differentiating PrEP-users, non-PrEP-users reporting two or more tests in the previous year, and non-PrEP-users reporting less frequent testing. The proportion tested at least annually increased from 64.4% in 2013 to 70.8% in 2018 (p-trend < 0.001), and from 73.9% to 84.6% among the 51.6% of men classified as higher-risk. Among higher-risk men, having two or more tests in the previous year increased from 48.0% to 69.3% (p-trend < 0.001). Among higher-risk non-PrEP-users, it increased from 47.2% to 54.8% (p-trend < 0.001), however, there was a decrease since 2016 (p-trend < 0.001). Among PrEP-users, it increased from 82.1% in 2013 to 97.3% in 2018 (p-trend < 0.001). Non-PrEP-using higher-risk men having less frequent tests reported lower risk than PrEP-users and non-PrEP-using men reporting two or more tests in the previous year. However, recent risk behaviour was not uncommon: nearly half reported condomless sex; one-fifth reported receptive condomless sex with ejaculation; over half reported group sex; one-quarter used drugs for the purposes of sex; and one-fifth had more than ten sex partners. Efforts are needed to encourage frequent testing and PrEP use among non-PrEP-users who are at higher-risk.

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Acknowledgements

The Centre for Social Research in Health and The Kirby Institute receive funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Gay Community Periodic Surveys are funded by state and territory health departments. BRB and AEG are supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) research fellowships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Benjamin R. Bavinton, Andrew E. Grulich, Phillip Keen, Prital Patel & Garrett P. Prestage

  2. The Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Timothy Broady, Limin Mao, Curtis Chan & Martin Holt

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  1. Benjamin R. Bavinton
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Correspondence to Benjamin R. Bavinton.

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Bavinton, B.R., Grulich, A.E., Broady, T. et al. Increases in HIV Testing Frequency in Australian Gay and Bisexual Men are Concentrated Among PrEP Users: An Analysis of Australian Behavioural Surveillance Data, 2013–2018. AIDS Behav 24, 2691–2702 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-02826-0

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