"I am not promiscuous enough!": Exploring the low uptake of HIV testing by gay men and other men who have sex with men in Metro Manila, Philippines

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 7; p. e0200256
• Main Authors: de Lind van Wijngaarden, Jan W, Ching, Andrew D, Settle, Edmund, van Griensven, Frits, Cruz, Rolando C, Newman, Peter A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.07.2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; Age; AIDS; Antiretroviral agents; Attitude; Biology and Life Sciences; Cities; Confidentiality; Consent; Costs; Counseling; Disease prevention; Emotions; Epidemics; Evaluation; Fear; Fear - psychology; Forecasts and trends; Gays & lesbians; Health aspects; Health behavior; Health care; Health risks; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV tests; Homosexuality, Male; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Interviews; Male; Mass Screening; Medical care utilization; Medical diagnosis; Medical tests; Medical treatment; Medicine and Health Sciences; Men; Mens health; MSM (Men who have sex with men); People and Places; Philippines; Public health; R&D; Research & development; Risk-Taking; Sex; Sexual and Gender Minorities - psychology; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexually transmitted diseases; Side effects; Social aspects; Social Stigma; Socioeconomic Factors; STD; Studies; Supervision; Systematic review; Young Adult; Philippines; California; Thailand; United States > US; Bangkok Thailand; India
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200256

The Philippines faces a severe HIV epidemic among gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM). HIV testing uptake remains low. A case series of 12 men from Metro Manila were interviewed to explore barriers to uptake of HIV testing services. Most did not see the need to get tested for HIV despite significant risk, based on the misconception they were feeling well or showed no symptoms. Being of a higher socioeconomic class, feeling morally superior to other gay men, distance of the testing facility, fear of what will happen once infected, fear of HIV- and sexual stigma, fear of side effects of antiretroviral drugs and fear of high health care expenses after testing positive for HIV were key reasons why MSM kept postponing their test. Misconceptions about HIV risk, disease, and treatment and care need to be addressed in order to increase uptake of HIV services in this population.