HIV Risks and Human Rights Contexts Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Lesotho
Author Information
Author(s): Baral Stefan, Adams Darrin, Lebona Judith, Kaibe Bafokeng, Letsie Puleng, Tshehlo Relebohile, Wirtz Andrea, Beyrer Chris
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Hypothesis
What are the population demographics, HIV risks, and human rights contexts among men who have sex with men in Lesotho?
Conclusion
Men who have sex with men in Lesotho are at high risk for HIV infection and face significant human rights abuses.
Supporting Evidence
- Self-reported HIV prevalence was 11.6%.
- 54.5% of participants reported being tested for HIV in the last year.
- 76.2% reported experiencing at least one form of human rights abuse.
Takeaway
This study shows that many men who have sex with men in Lesotho are at risk for HIV and often face unfair treatment because of their sexual orientation.
Methodology
The study used snowball sampling to recruit 252 men who reported ever having anal sex with another man and administered a structured quantitative survey.
Potential Biases
Selection bias may have occurred due to initial seeds acting as interviewers, potentially affecting the external validity of the results.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causality, and the use of peer-referral methods may introduce selection bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants were mostly ethnic Basotho (96.4%), with a mean age of 26.3 years, and approximately half were currently employed.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.2-8.5
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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