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The article discusses a study which evaluated the Mpowerment (MP) intervention designed to reduce risky sexual behavior and increase HIV testing among young men who have sex with men (MSM). Topics include the increase in HIV testing and self-efficacy for safer sex reported in the study, the association of exposure to MP with improved perceived social norms about safer sex, and information on the Monitoring and Evaluation of Mpowerment (MEM) project.

This report describes characteristics of HIV test data for men who have sex with men (MSM) tested in 2007 through programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV test-level data of MSM submitted by 29 health departments were analyzed to explore test characteristics among all tests, first-time tests, and repeat tests. Characteristics significantly associated with HIV-positive results among first-time tests were identified through logistic regression. Of the 129,893 tests conducted, 18% were first-time tests and 82% were repeat tests. HIV positivity among first-time tests was 4.1% and 3.7% among repeat tests. Among first-time tests, 46% of tests were among White MSM and 48% of HIV-positive test results were among African Americans. An HIV-positive test among first-time tests was strongly associated with being African American, being 40-49 years old, and testing in the southern United States. Race/ethnicity differences exist among MSM testing at CDC-funded sites. African American MSM accounted for the greatest proportion of HIV-positive results but White MSM represented the greatest proportion of tests conducted. HIV prevention strategies that include CDC-funded testing for MSM should increase targeting of African Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]