A comparative, retrospective analysis of HIV testing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Melbourne, Australia.
OBJECTIVE
PRONTO!, a peer-led rapid HIV-testing service in Melbourne, Australia, opened to improve HIV testing among gay and bisexual men (GBM). We compared client characteristics and return testing among GBM testing at PRONTO! with GBM testing at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC).


METHODS
All GBM attending PRONTO! and MSHC for HIV testing between August 2013 and April 2016 were included. We describe the number of tests, percentage of clients who returned during follow-up, the mean number of tests and median time between tests at the two services.


RESULTS
At PRONTO!, 33% of 3,102 GBM and at MSHC 50% of 9,836 GBM returned for a further HIV test at least once. The mean number of tests per client was 1.7 and 2.5 at PRONTO! and MSHC (p<0.01), respectively. A majority of clients at both services reported behaviours that would recommend up to quarterly testing, however, the median time between tests was 20.0 and 17.0 weeks at PRONTO! and MSHC (p<0.01), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
A greater proportion of clients returned and returned frequently at MSHC compared to PRONTO!, however, at both services HIV testing frequency was suboptimal. Implications for public health: Novel HIV testing services should provide convenient and comprehensive sexual health services.
['Ryan|Kathleen E|KE|', 'Wilkinson|Anna L|AL|', 'Chow|Eric|E|', 'Read|Tim|T|', 'Chen|Marcus|M|', 'Locke|Peter|P|', 'Leitinger|David|D|', 'Bradshaw|Catriona|C|', 'Pedrana|Alisa|A|', 'Hellard|Margaret|M|', 'Fairley|Christopher K|CK|', 'Stoové|Mark|M|']
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis D000328:Adult D001315:Australia D001727:Bisexuality D003153:Community Health Services D005260:Female D015658:HIV Infections D018451:Homosexuality, Male D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008403:Mass Screening D012189:Retrospective Studies D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities
HIV HIV testing test frequency MSM community based