Disparities in HIV Testing Among Spanish and English-Speaking Hispanic/Latino Men who have Sex with Men and Social...

In 2022, Hispanic/Latino men accounted for 26% of all HIV infections in the US (CDC, 2024). Social media can facilitate behaviors associated with HIV exposure, such as sexual encounters. Therefore, understanding the use of social media is relevant to improving the reach of public health strategies that aim to increase HIV testing among Hispanic/Latino Men. This study analyzes data from 668 Hispanic/Latino Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) participants residing in Los Angeles County who responded to a six-wave survey conducted between February 2017 and January 2022. This study collected information at baseline and 3, 6, and 12-month follow-ups about the participants' sociodemographic information, internet, and social media use, sexual health, and HIV risk behaviors. We ran a logistic regression to explore the relationship between HIV testing and the interaction between being a native Spanish speaker and the use of social media. Participants who used social media for sexual encounters and were native Spanish speakers were less likely to have been tested for HIV in the previous six months compared to those who were not native Spanish speakers (interaction OR = 0.387; p < 0.01; 95% CI: (0.190, 0.787)). Our findings show that participants who used social media for sexual encounters were also more likely to engage in HIV risk behaviors. Therefore, our results highlight disparities in HIV testing among Hispanic/Latino communities and the need to target native Spanish speakers in HIV prevention and outreach strategies. These strategies should also consider internet and social media use and their relationship with HIV risk behaviors.