Circumcision Status and HIV Infection Among Black and Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men in 3 US Cities

Abstract

Objective:
To examine characteristics of circumcised and uncircumcised Latino and black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States and assess the association between circumcision and HIV infection

Methods:
Using respondent-driven sampling, 1154 black MSM and 1091 Latino MSM were recruited from New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. A 45-minute computer-assisted interview and a rapid oral fluid HIV antibody test (OraSure Technologies, Bethlehem, PA) were administered to participants.

Results:
Circumcision prevalence was higher among black MSM than among Latino MSM (74% vs. 33%; P < 0.0001). Circumcised MSM in both racial/ethnic groups were more likely than uncircumcised MSM to be born in the United States or to have a US-born parent. Circumcision status was not associated with prevalent HIV infection among Latino MSM, black MSM, black bisexual men, or black or Latino men who reported being HIV-negative based on their last HIV test. Further, circumcision was not associated with a reduced likelihood of HIV infection among men who had engaged in unprotected insertive andnot unprotected receptive anal sex.

Conclusions:
In these cross-sectional data, there was no evidence that being circumcised was protective against HIVjinfection among black MSM or Latino MSM.

(C) 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.