May 4, 2012
To assess bisexual behavior and associated sociodemographic and behavioral factors among young migrant Chinese men who have sex with men, data from 307 Beijing MSM were analyzed.
Twenty-seven percent of the MSM reported they also were concurrently involved in sexual behavior with women (MSMW). The HIV infection rate among MSMW was 8.4 percent compared to 4.9 percent among MSM-only. The syphilis infection rate was 10.8 percent among MSMW compared to 23.7 percent among MSM-only.
Several HIV risk behaviors among MSMW were similar to those of MSM-only, including unprotected anal sex, multiple sex partners, commercial sex involvement, and substance use. Compared with MSM-only, MSMW were less likely to have undergone HIV testing or to have taken part in HIV prevention activities, and they knew less about condom use and HIV/AIDS. In addition, MSMW reported a higher rate of unprotected sex with female stable partners (79.5 percent) than with male stable partners (59.5 percent).
"Results indicated that MSMW were at a very high risk for both HIV infection and transmission," the team concluded. "Intervention efforts are needed to target this subgroup of MSM and promote AIDS knowledge and HIV/STD testing among MSMW, and to reduce HIV transmission through MSM's bisexual behavior."