Mitsuhiro Kamakura

HIV/AIDS surveillance in Japan, 1984-2000.

&NA; The HIV/AIDS surveillance system in Japan, which began collecting data on the number of AIDS patients in 1984 and the number of HIV‐infected persons in 1987, has played an important role in monitoring the trend and magnitude of Japans HIV/AIDS epidemic and its distribution across various population subgroups. However, the system lacks any personal identifiers, making it impossible to eliminate duplication or to track cases for disease progression. It also does not permit the identification of the residence of HIV‐infected persons because the residence of only the reporting physician is documented under the New Infectious Diseases Control Law, effective since April 1, 1999. The number of people with HIV/AIDS in Japan continues to grow. Among youth, sexually transmitted diseases, induced abortion, and sexual activities have shown a marked increase since the mid‐1990s. Behavioral risk of infection for both injection drug users (IDUs) and men who have sex with men (MSM) remains alarmingly high. Accurate monitoring of infection rates is critical to the planning and evaluation of treatment, care and prevention programs. Japan should restructure its HIV/AIDS surveillance system to more accurately monitor the HIV/AIDS epidemic and related risk behaviors.

Prevalence of Sexual Victimization and Correlates of Forced Sex in Japanese Men Who Have Sex with Men

Studies of men who have sex with men (MSM) in diverse geographic and cultural contexts have identified health challenges affecting this population. MSM might be particularly vulnerable to sexual victimization and forced sex. The aim of this research study was to examine prevalence of sexual victimization and correlates of forced sex among Japanese MSM. We recruited a sample of 5,731 Japanese MSM who completed an internet-administered survey. Participants reported on history of different types of sexual victimization, unprotected anal sex, other health risk behaviors, exposure to gay-related teasing and bullying, depression, and suicidality. Over one-fifth of the sample (21.4%) reported experiencing at least one form of sexual victimization, and 8.7% reported a history of forced sex. MSM who had ever experienced forced sex were significantly more likely to report experiencing psychological risks (depression OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.28–1.89; attempted suicide OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.81–2.81; other forms of bullying OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.13–1.68) and other behavioral risks (unprotected anal sex OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.29–1.90; sex venue attendance OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04–1.54; methamphetamine use OR = 1.57, 95% CI  = 1.05–1.36), compared to MSM who had not experienced forced sex. Efforts to develop holistic and integrated health services for Japanese MSM are warranted, particularly related to psychosocial determinants of HIV prevention. However, due to cultural factors that emphasize familial and social relations and that stigmatize same-sex behavior, Japanese MSM might experience challenges to seeking social support and health services. Interventions must be provided in safe and non-judgmental settings where Japanese MSM feel comfortable disclosing their health and social support needs.

NOTIFICATION OF HIV CARRIERS: POSSIBLE EFFECT ON UPTAKE OF AIDS TESTING

Passing of the AIDS Prevention Bill, which demands the notification of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carriers, seems imminent in Japan. Its effect on peoples willingness to be tested for the HIV antibody was assessed among heterosexual subjects (students, office workers) and groups at high risk of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (prostitutes, homosexual males) by means of a questionnaire. More than 70% of the 811 students and 509 workers replied that, if notification became mandatory, they would agree to be tested but 10% of the males and 17% of the females in these two groups would prefer testing at institutes not complying with the clause; all 198 prostitutes said that they would be prepared to undergo testing but 35% of them would prefer to go to non-complying clinics; 45% (410) of 902 homosexual males replied that they would refuse testing, and 65% of those who would agree to be tested (492) would prefer to go to non-complying clinics. These findings strongly suggest that when the bill is passed the greater the self-perceived risk of HIV infection the poorer will be the uptake of AIDS testing. Hence the bill would be counterproductive in the surveillance of potential HIV carriers.