Previous studies found that older MSM men report much higher rates of HIV testing. Consistent with this finding, we recently collected data from just over 300 gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) teen guys, and only 3 in 10 sexually active teens said they had ever been tested for HIV. However, only an estimated 1 in 2 gay and bisexual young men living with HIV are aware of their infection.
This means testing is an important part of ending the epidemic. While HIV treatments have improved a lot in the past decade, these treatments are more successful when the virus is detected earlier. Indeed, new HIV infections are increasing fastest among adolescent MSM compared to all other groups. In the U.S., human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects 13- to 24-year-old men who have sex with men (MSM) more than any other age or gender group.
