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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2000 Sep 1;91(5):345–349. doi: 10.1007/BF03404804

Risk Behaviours and HIV Infection Among Men Having Sexual Relations with Men: Baseline Characteristics of Participants in the Omega Cohort Study, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Annie Dufour 16, Michel Alary 16,26,✉, Joanne Otis 36, Robert S Remis 46,56, Benoît Mâsse 16, Bruno Turmel 56, Jean Vincelette 66, Raymond Parent 26, René Lavoie 76, Roger LeClerc 86; Omega Study Group
PMCID: PMC6979919  PMID: 11089286

Abstract

Objective: To describe characteristics of men having sex with men (MSM) participating in the Omega Cohort, to describe HIV-positive participants at baseline interview, and to estimate HIV incidence.

Methods: The Omega Cohort is a study on the incidence and psychosocial determinants of HIV infection among MSM living in Montreal. MSM complete a questionnaire and are tested for HIV every six months.

Results: During the previous six months, 31% and 12% of 810 participants (mean age=33 years) reported unprotected anal sex with regular and casual partners, respectively. Eight participants (0.98%) were HIV-infected at baseline. HIV incidence was 0.89 per 100 person-years (7/787 person-years) [95% confidence interval: 0.36–1.83].

Conclusion: A significant proportion of participants reported current risk behaviours. Despite this, HIV incidence is relatively low. It is important to target MSM who do not practice safe sex and to encourage those practicing safe sex to sustain these behaviours.

Footnotes

The Omega Study Group is composed of Michel Bouchard, Michel Châteauvert, André Desmarais, Frédéric Doutrelepont, Micheline Dupuis, Yves Jalbert, Pierre Junod, Ralf Jürgens, Roger Leblanc, Eric Lefebvre, René Légaré, Catherine Lowndes, Eva Nonn, Sylvie Savard, Robert Steinman, Réjean Thomas and Anne Vassal.

This research was supported by the National Research and Development Program (NHRDP), Health Canada (Grant number R6605-4639-AIDS). Additional funding was also provided by the Centre québécois de coordination sur le sida and through the AIDS Research Network of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (Grant number 960071.06). Ms. Annie Dufour was recipient of a training award from NHRDP (Grant number 6605-4857-47A). Dr. Alary is a research scholar of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (Grant number 970097).

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