Estimating antiretroviral treatment coverage rates and viral suppression rates for homosexual men in Australia
Nicole L. De La Mata A E , Limin Mao B , John De Wit B , Don Smith C D , Martin Holt B , Garrett Prestage A , David P. Wilson A and Kathy Petoumenos AA Kirby Institute, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW Australia, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
B Centre for Social Research in Health, Goodsell Building, UNSW Australia, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
C Albion Street Centre, Albion Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia.
D School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Samuels Building, UNSW Australia, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: ndelamata@kirby.unsw.edu.au
Sexual Health 12(5) 453-457 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH15037
Submitted: 9 March 2015 Accepted: 24 May 2015 Published: 13 July 2015
Abstract
Gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) are disproportionally affected by the HIV epidemic in Australia. The study objective is to combine a clinical-based cohort with a community-based surveillance system to present a broader representation of the GMSM community to determine estimates of proportions receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and/or with an undetectable viral load. Between 2010 and 2012, small increases were shown in ART uptake (to 70.2%) and proportions with undetectable viral load (to 62.4%). The study findings highlight the potential for significantly increasing ART uptake among HIV-positive GMSM to reduce the HIV epidemic in Australia.
Additional keywords: ART coverage, gay men, HIV, proportion, time trends, viral load.
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