HIV Prevalence and Associated Risk Behaviors in New York City’s House Ball Community

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Abstract
Objectives. We measured HIV seroprevalence and associated risk factors among persons in New York City’s house ball community. Methods. In 2004 we conducted a venue-based risk-behavior survey and HIV testing in the house ball community. Results. Of the 504 study participants, 67% were male, 14% female, and 18% transgender. Mean age was 24 years (range=15–52 years); 55% were Black, and 40% were Latino. More than 85% of participants had previously been tested for HIV, although only 60% had been tested in the previous 12 months. Of the 84 (17%) persons who tested positive for HIV in our study, 61 (73%) were unaware of their HIV status. A logistic regression analysis on data from 371 participants who had had a male sexual partner in the previous 12 months showed that HIV-infected participants were more likely than were HIV-negative participants to be Black, to be older than 29 years, and not to have been tested for HIV in the previous 12 months. Conclusions. Culturally specific community-level prevention efforts are warranted to reduce risk behaviors and increase the frequency of HIV testing in New York City’s house ball community.