ArticlePLOS global public health2026
Characteristics associated with frequent sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing in a community-based sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), United Kingdom, 2024.
Article in PLOS global public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
In the UK, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are recommended quarterly testing, but it is not known how many are following this recommendation. We described prevalence and correlates of frequent STI testing amongst GBMSM. We analysed data from the community-based Reducing Inequalities in Sexual Health (RiiSH) online survey of GBMSM, with recruitment in November-December 2024 via social media and dating apps. Participants were UK residents aged ≥16 years reporting sex with a man in the previous year. We described frequency of STI testing amongst individuals recommended quarterly testing, using proxies for national guidelines for quarterly testing eligibility (over the past three months: new male sexual partner, condomless anal sex, ≥ 10 male partners, or chemsex). We explored factors associated with frequent testing (≥4 tests/past year) using univariate and multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for country of birth and residence, ethnicity, employment, and education. Among 2758 participants (median age 45 years, 88% white), we estimated 2366 (86%) would be recommended quarterly STI testing. Among 2342 with testing information, 562 individuals (24%) met or exceeded this recommendation (≥4 tests), 1107 (47%) had 1-3 tests, and 673 (29%) none. Factors associated with frequent testing were: reporting using HIV-PrEP in the past year (adjusted odds ratio 7.66 (95% confidence intervals 5.77-10.30)), STI diagnosis in the past three months (1.96 (1.45-2.64)), and younger age (1.50 (1.04-2.16), 16-29 years vs ≥ 45 years). Straight/bisexual orientation was associated with less frequent testing than gay/homosexual (0.71 (0.52-0.96)). Overall, data from a large UK community survey suggest only 1 in 4 GBMSM who are recommended quarterly STI testing meet this recommendation, and testing levels vary by HIV-PrEP use, STI history, age, and sexual orientation. These findings provide baseline data for consideration in any updates to STI testing guidelines.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.