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Partner Notification

The following data were collected from gay, bisexual and trans men who participated in the Engage study in 2019:

178 participants received a diagnosis of an STBBI (sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection) and among them, 60% told most or all of their recent sexual partners (i.e. current partners or partners in the last 2 months).

Once told, these sexual partners can get tested and treated, and thus, protect their own health all the while breaking the chain of transmission.

IF one of your sexual partners had an infection, would you want them to tell you? Telling a partner that you have an STBBI can be a little bit, somewhat or very awkward! But it can be simpler than sending someone a cake (sometimes it can be a bit more complicated too)!

There are services available to help tell your partners (and to tell them anonymously):

Clinics that offer these services when someone receives a diagnosis of an STBBI;
The HIV and AIDS Portal of Québec (PVSQ – Portai du VIH et du SIDA du Québec) has an anonymous notification application (French only);
The STBBI team from your local public health department

PrEP

What is PrEP?

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is an HIV prevention strategy that involves taking antiretroviral medication to prevent infection with HIV. Numerous studies have shown that PrEP is highly effective.

Treatment guidelines help define in which situations PrEP is indicated (for example, based on age, number of sexual partners, drug use, STBBI history, etc...)

PrEP is indicated for roughly 50% of Engage participants. Between 2017-2018, 15% of the guys for whom PrEP was indicated reported taking it (either on-demand or continuously) in the six months leading up to their study visit. In 2019-2020, this proportion more than doubled to 36%.

However, this means that 64% of gay, bi and trans guys in Montréal who could benefit from PrEP don’t take it.

Do you think you could benefit from PrEP?

Check out maprep.org for information and resources about PrEP in Québec [French only].

To learn more about PrEP, check out the following documents:

HIV Testing

Please note that our infographics are only available in French.

The following data were collected from gay, bi, and trans guys who participated in the Engage Study in 2018.

Half (48%) of guys had been tested for HIV at least once in the 6 months leading up to the study visit. This proportion is higher amongst participants who are younger than 40 years old and among those who had more male sexual partners in the 6-month period.

Age Group	Proportion of participants who had at least one HIV test in the 6 months leading up to the study visit
18-29 years	51 %
30-39	57 %
40-49	35 %
50-59	41 %
60+	32 %

Number of male sexual partners in the 6 months leading up to the study visit	Proportion of participants who had at least one HIV test in the 6 months leading up to the study visit
1	34 %
2-4	41 %
5 et plus	60 %

Therefore, 40 % of guys who had 5 or more male sexual partners in the 6 months leading up to the study visit didn’t have an HIV test in the same period.

What are the benefits to getting tested for HIV?

Earlier the infection is detected and treated, the better. Earlier detection and treatment lead to longer survival and improved quality of life. While no treatment can cure HIV infection, treatments today stop the virus’s multiplication and prevents progression to AIDS. In addition, today’s HIV treatments considerably reduce the risk of transmission.

To learn more about the factors that impact access to HIV testing for gay, bi, and trans guys in Montréal, as well as their experience during their most recent test, check out our Dossier, HIV Testing (French only).

Where can I get tested for HIV?

HIV tests are available in any medical clinic.
Here is a list of medical clinics in the Montréal region that are known for their expertise in sexual health in gay, bi and other men who have sex with men, including HIV and STBBI testing.