[Preventive intervention in venues for interaction used by men who have sex with men]

Abstract

An intervention in venues for interaction used by men who have sex with men in Valencia (Spain) was performed to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or avoid delay in diagnosis and to facilitate contact with the health circuit. Information was provided on prevention and a rapid test for HIV and syphilis was performed. We contacted 500 men and the intervention was performed in 171; 37% of the subjects in saunas and one in four of those in prostitution apartments had never been tested. The prevalence of HIV was 1.6% (n=2) in the saunas, and 11% (n=5) in the apartments (n=5). For syphilis, these percentages were 5% and 2.3% respectively. The intervention revealed the existence of highly exposed population groups with low compliance and facilitated access to the health system in these groups.