Access and Utilization of HIV/STI Testing Services among Men Who have Sex with Men During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND

Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to bear the disproportionate burden of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the public's fear of the virus may have exacerbated this burden by hindering access to and utilization of HIV/STI testing services.

METHODS

We completed a systematic literature review to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MSM's access and utilization of HIV/STI testing services. Online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, LGBTQ + Source, CINAHL, and the WHO COVID database) and reference lists were searched until October 8, 2023 to identify literature meeting the following criteria: primary data collection; peer-reviewed publication in the English language; included MSM ≥ 18 years of age; examined access to and utilization of HIV and/or STI testing in the United States.

RESULTS

We identified 1,013 articles, of which 88 were eligible for full text review. Nineteen articles met full inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Twelve were cross-sectional studies, 4 were prospective cohort studies, and 3 were retrospective chart reviews. Sixteen of the 19 studies reported perceived interruptions or decreases in HIV/STI testing among MSM during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, two cross-sectional studies reported increases in STI prevalence during the pandemic and one cross-sectional study reported that access to HIV testing was unaffected.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review summarized the existing literature that suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic largely impacted access to and utilization of HIV/STI testing among MSM in the U.S.