Study tracks gay men, hepatitis vaccines
PlanetOut Network
Christopher Curtis,
DecEMBER 7, 2004
The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) claims that more than half of the nation's gay and bisexual men are not protected against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, despite an increase in vaccine rates.
GLMA drew the conclusions after its sixth annual multi-city survey of men who have sex with men (MSM) at LGBT Pride festivals over the summer of 2004.
GLMA gathered 949 responses from nine sites to determine what sort of precautions MSM are taking to prevent hepatitis A and B.
"Hepatitis A can be spread by anal/oral contact or by contact with fingers, sex toys or condoms which have been in or near the anus of an infected sex partner," said Joel Ginsberg, interim executive director of GLMA. "Hepatitis B can be spread by anal or oral sex, by sharing needles, or by tattooing or piercing equipment which has not been properly sterilized."
Symptoms of hepatitis A and hepatitis B include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach discomfort, dark urine and jaundice. In 5 to 10 percent of cases, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic and may cause primary liver cancer, which can lead to death.
Both hepatitis A and B disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men.
According to GLMA's findings, 40 percent of respondents were immune to hepatitis A, and 39 percent of respondents were immune to hepatitis B.
GLMA believes attendees at the San Francisco Pride event had the highest vaccination rate. Of the people surveyed, 51 percent said they received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis A. When it came to hepatitis B, 56 percent of respondents said they had received at least one dose of a vaccine.
GLMA found the lowest vaccination rates from respondents at the Queens, N.Y. PrideFest: 35 percent had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis A; 40 percent had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis B.
GLMA claims respondents were less likely to have been vaccinated if they had a lower income, did not have a regular health care provider; or if they weren't out to their provider.
By comparing this latest round of numbers, GLMA believes that vaccination rates are improving for respondents living in eight out of nine cities, rising by at least five percentage points from 2003 to 2004.
Since GLMA started this survey in 1999, overall vaccination rates against hepatitis A have more than doubled from 21 percent to 48 percent. Rates of vaccination against hepatitis B have also increased to 48 percent.
"It's true that this is not a rigorous study," admitted Ginsberg. "But we have been doing it for several years now and are seeing consistent results, so that makes us feel confidence in the findings."
"Unfortunately, no one else is doing this research, so for the time being, this is the best data available," Ginsberg added. "But whether or not the numbers are exactly right, it is clear that too many men who have sex with men are not protected from hepatitis A and B."