Gay and bisexual men represent an estimated 2% of the U.S. population but more than half of all people living with HIV and 66% of new HIV infections. They are the only population group in the United States for which HIV infections are rising. Projections have shown that if current trends continue, half of all gay and bisexual men will be HIV-positive by age 50.
So it’s a major concern that, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey published Thursday, only a third of gay and bisexual men know that infections are increasing among this group. Only a quarter know that if someone who is HIV-positive is taking HIV antiretroviral treatment, his risk of passing on the virus is significantly reduced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends testing every three to six months for sexually active gay and bisexual men; many state health departments do as well. But almost a third of gay and bisexual men have never been tested for HIV, and another third were tested more than a year ago. More than half don’t know about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)–a pill that HIV-negative men can take to prevent infection that is about 90% effective when taken every day.
