Predictors of never testing for HIV among a national online sample of men who have sex with men in Norway

Abstract

Background: HIV testing among persons at risk of infection has become a cornerstone in prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Understanding factors related to HIV testing is thus fundamental for informing prevention and testing initiatives. Aims: This study aims to identify prevalence of, and factors that are associated with, HIV testing. Methods: This study analysed data from 2011 HIV-negative and untested MSM collected in a national, online survey. Results: More than a third (35.3%) of MSM had never received an HIV test result. Multivariate logistic regression results showed that compared with men ever tested, untested men were younger (odds ratio, OR 0.95), closeted about same sex attractions (OR 3.84), had low educational level (OR 0.47), low HIV transmission and testing knowledge (OR 0.98), did not believe that HIV testing is free (OR 0.27), had never taken a test for sexually transmitted infection (OR 0.08), and had not engaged in sex abroad in the past year (OR 0.69). Conclusions: These results underscore the urgency in efforts to reduce testing delay among especially young MSM and point to the need for additional public health resources and prevention marketing efforts to be directed towards increasing awareness of HIV testing.