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Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
Negotiating Use of a Blood-Based, Dual HIV and Syphilis Test with Potential Sexual Partners Among a Sample of Cisgender Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex with Men in New York City
Archives of sexual behavior, v 51(4), pp 2015-2025
21 Apr 2022
PMID: 35449365
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Cisgender men who have sex with men (cMSM) and transgender women (TGW) are disproportionally burdened by HIV. Among these populations, HIV partner-testing is a highly acceptable harm reduction tool. Particularly, cMSM and TGW report a stronger preference for blood-based tests that include assays for multiple STIs. However, no existing research has explored how these populations negotiate blood-based testing with sexual partners. In the SMARTtest study, 48 sexually active cMSM and TGW took home dual, blood-based HIV/Syphilis kits for self- and partner-testing. After 3 months, they completed a follow-up assessment and in-depth interviews about their experiences initiating testing. Of the 42 responding participants, 27 (64%) reported that it had been "fairly" or "very easy" to raise the idea of testing with partners. Participants predominantly employed partner-conscious communication strategies, including framing the testing proposal as a mandatory, non-personal component of their participation in a research study, gradually incorporating testing mentions into discussions about sexual health, and using the kits to facilitate joint testing. Yet, 21 (44%) participants reported having sex with at least one partner they did not ask to test. Concern regarding partner reactions emerged as a significant barrier to discussing test use; similarly, many partners were averse to taking a blood-based test in the context of a casual sexual encounter. Nonetheless, these findings suggest that dual, blood-based HIV/STI rapid tests may represent acceptable harm reduction tools among similar populations of cMSM and TGW, particularly if future partner-testing research is broadened to consider key couples' dynamics that may impact test usage.
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Details
- Title
- Negotiating Use of a Blood-Based, Dual HIV and Syphilis Test with Potential Sexual Partners Among a Sample of Cisgender Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex with Men in New York City
- Creators
- Cody Lentz - New York Psychoanalytic Society and InstituteJavier Lopez-Rios - Drexel UniversityCurtis Dolezal - New York Psychoanalytic Society and InstituteBryan A. Kutner - New York Psychoanalytic Society and InstituteChristine Tagliaferri Rael - New York Psychoanalytic Society and InstituteIvan C. Balan - New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
- Publication Details
- Archives of sexual behavior, v 51(4), pp 2015-2025
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- R01-HD088156; P30-MH43520 / U.S. National Institutes of Health; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA K23MH124569 / NIMH K23 Award MH115785 / NIMH K01 Award
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Community Health and Prevention
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000784595600001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85128702741
- Other Identifier
- 991019168600404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychology, Clinical
- Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary