Men Who Have Sex with Men and HIV/AIDS
There are more than 1 million people in the U.S. living with HIV. One-fourth of them do not know that they are HIV-infected. Could you be one of them? The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
In the United States, HIV infection and AIDS have had a tremendous effect on men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM accounted for 72 percent of all HIV infections among male adults and adolescents in 2005 (based on data from 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting), even though only about 5–7 percent of male adults and adolescents in the United States identify themselves as MSM.
The number of HIV diagnoses for MSM decreased during the 1980s and 1990s, but recently, HIV diagnoses have increased for this group. Additionally, racial disparities exist with regard to HIV diagnoses within the MSM population. A recent study, conducted in five large U.S. cities found that HIV prevalence among black MSM (46 percent) was more than twice that among white MSM (21 percent).
Know Your Status. Get Tested for HIV.
If you do not know if you are infected with HIV, you could be spreading it to others. If you are HIV-positive, you must take steps to prevent passing your HIV infection to another person.
If you find out that you have HIV, it does not mean that you are going to get sick and die. While there is no cure for HIV, new drugs are available that can help you stay healthy and decrease the amount of HIV virus in your body.
What Is the HIV Test?
The HIV test detects whether or not you have been exposed to the HIV virus. There are several different kinds of tests: blood tests, urine tests, and an oral (mouth) test. Only a very small amount of blood is needed for the blood tests.
HIV tests can take a few days to 2 weeks for results, or with rapid HIV tests you can get results in about 20 minutes.
Where Can I Get Tested?
Free and confidential or anonymous HIV tests are available. To find an HIV testing site near to you, visit www.hivtest.org.
Or, call:
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
In English, en Español
Open 24 hours a day — Confidential
What Else Can I Do?
You have the power to help stop the spread of HIV.
- Be safe. The best way to prevent HIV is to abstain from having sex. If you do have sex, use a new latex condom every time. Do not share needles or syringes.
- Talk about it. Talk about sex and HIV with your partners. Find out when they were last tested for HIV and what their status was. Be clear that you will be having safer sex…or none at all.
- Talk to Your Doctor. If you are sexually active, you should get tested for HIV.
- Stop the Stigma. Many MSM must cope with many types of stigma—for being an MSM, for being HIV-positive, and, for some, being an ethnic or racial minority. MSM often do not acknowledge their sexual activities with men for fear of condemnation from their families, communities, and service providers.
For more information about HIV and AIDS, visit: www.aids.gov.
National HIV Testing Mobilization Campaign
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
08/07
