Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium.
Sex Transm Infect. 2021 Sep;97(6):414-419. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2020-054756. Epub 2020 Nov 10.
OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in the occurrence of physical sex with non-steady partners among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Belgium during the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown and associations with sociodemographic factors, sexual practices, drug, alcohol and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use. A secondary objective was to explore changes in PrEP use and the need for PrEP follow-up. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey. The questionnaire was available in Dutch, French and English, between April 10 and 27 (2020), and disseminated via sexual health and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or intersex organisations throughout Belgium. Eligibility criteria included being 18 years or older, not being exclusively heterosexual and living or being born in Belgium. RESULTS: The sample included 694 MSM. Physical sex with non-steady partners decreased from 59.1% to 8.9% during the first weeks of the lockdown. Those who had sex with non-steady partners were significantly more likely to be HIV positive, to use PrEP or to have engaged in sexual practices such as group sex, chemsex and sex work before the lockdown, compared with their counterparts. Among those who used PrEP before the lockdown, 47.0% stopped using PrEP, 19.7% used event-driven PrEP and 33.3% used daily PrEP during the lockdown. Almost two-thirds of PrEP users had a PrEP care appointment in the weeks before the lockdown and a minority received follow-up elsewhere or online. Some PrEP users had concerns regarding their follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: MSM in our survey substantially reduced sexual contact with non-steady partners during the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown, suggesting that the risk for HIV and STI transmission in this period was low. We recommend ensuring access to sexual health services, such as HIV testing and follow-up for PrEP for the small group having multiple sex partners and engaging in sexual practices such as chemsex, or group sex, even in times of a pandemic threat.
目的:研究 COVID-19 封锁期间比利时男男性行为者(MSM)与非固定性伴发生性行为的频率变化,以及与社会人口学因素、性行为、药物、酒精和暴露前预防(PrEP)使用的关联。次要目的是探索 PrEP 使用的变化以及对 PrEP 随访的需求。
方法:横断面在线调查。问卷有荷兰语、法语和英语三种版本,于 2020 年 4 月 10 日至 27 日期间提供,并通过性健康和女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别、酷儿或双性人组织在比利时各地传播。纳入标准包括年龄在 18 岁或以上、非异性恋和居住或出生在比利时。
结果:样本包括 694 名 MSM。封锁的头几周,与非固定性伴发生性行为的比例从 59.1%降至 8.9%。与对照组相比,那些与非固定性伴发生性行为的人更有可能感染 HIV、使用 PrEP 或在封锁前从事群体性行为、性交易和化学性行为等性行为。在封锁前使用 PrEP 的人中,47.0%停止使用 PrEP,19.7%使用事件驱动 PrEP,33.3%在封锁期间使用每日 PrEP。近三分之二的 PrEP 用户在封锁前的几周内预约了 PrEP 护理,少数人在其他地方或在线接受了随访。一些 PrEP 用户对他们的随访表示担忧。
结论:我们的调查显示,MSM 在 COVID-19 封锁的头几周内大大减少了与非固定性伴的性接触,表明在此期间 HIV 和性传播感染的风险较低。我们建议确保获得性健康服务,如 HIV 检测和 PrEP 随访,以满足少数有多个性伴且从事化学性行为或群体性行为等性行为的人的需求,即使在大流行威胁期间也是如此。
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