Men who have sex with men (msm) in cameroon: results from an integrated behavioral and biological study in Yaounde and Douala

Sethson Kassegne, Consultant Indépendant
Laure Vartan Moukam, Association Camerounaise de Marketing Social (ACMS/PSI)

Homosexuality is still a big controversy in Africa. In Cameroon, it is heavily stigmatized. In 2011, with USAID support through HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, a study was conducted in Yaoundé and Douala among respectively 239 and 272 through a Respondent Driven Sampling approach. Descriptive analyses were conducted in RDSAT. In Yaoundé and Douala, respectively 57% and 67% of MSM were between 18 and 24 years old. At least 60% were bisexual. One out of three had 4 sexual partners and more in the previous year. One third used condom in their last sexual intercourse with a man in Yaoundé and 49% did so in Douala. Around 50% had sex with women and 15% had sex in group in the last 12 months. In Yaoundé, 44% were HIV + and in Douala, they were 24%. These results showed that HIV prevention and treatment care should be intensified among MSM in Cameroon.