{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T18:00:10Z","timestamp":1785261610351,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"BMJ","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100021201","name":"European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PPRC-2020-15"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PPRC-2020-15"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100021201","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sex Transm Infect"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This pilot study assesses HIV, syphilis and hepatitis point-of-care test (POCT) utility in men who have sex with men (MSM) attending a non-governmental organisation-led clinic in Beirut and evaluates knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to sexual health.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional study was conducted over 4\u2009months. A physician offered sexual health consultations and sexually transmitted infection (STI)\/HIV testing and administered an anonymous questionnaire assessing demographics, STI knowledge and practices, condom use, chemsex, experiences of sexual violence and perceived HIV-related stigma.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The cohort consisted predominantly of young, highly educated, working-age men: 91.2% were male and 86.4% identified as MSM, with most participants aged 26\u201340 years. The majority were Lebanese (79.6%), while 18.4% were Syrian. Overall, 21.4% were persons living with HIV. High levels of STI\/HIV awareness coexisted with condomless sex and recreational drug use. Perceived community beliefs and stigma emerged as notable barriers to testing. The use of POCT facilitated same-day counselling and linkage to care for individuals with positive results.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study highlights the substantial HIV-related stigma experienced by MSM, which is linked to risky behaviours. Incorporating POCT into sexual health services allows for rapid on-site diagnosis and immediate counselling as well as linkage to confirmatory testing and care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056894","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T17:20:32Z","timestamp":1785259232000},"page":"sextrans-2025-056894","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Community peer-led STI\/HIV point-of-care testing and knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey in men who have sex with men (MSM) attending an NGO-led clinic in the outskirts of Beirut (Lebanon)"],"prefix":"10.1136","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-7621-965X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"William","family":"Abou Shahla","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon"},{"name":"Migrant Health Working Group, International Foundation for Dermatology, London, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isotta","family":"Rossoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Migrant Health Working Group, International Foundation for Dermatology, London, UK"},{"name":"Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1274-9230","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valeska","family":"Padovese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Migrant Health Working Group, International Foundation for Dermatology, London, UK"},{"name":"Genitourinary Clinic, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Awada G . Homosexuality legalization in Arab countries: a shifting paradigm or a wake-up call. Jsp 2019;2. doi:10.31014\/aior.1991.02.02.73","DOI":"10.31014\/aior.1991.02.02.73"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.2","unstructured":"Amnesty International . Lebanon: attack on freedoms targets LGBTI people\u2014repressive legislation; unlawful crackdown. 2023."},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.3","unstructured":"Lebanon . UNHCR The UN Refugee Agency.2022:1\u20137."},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-51688-7","article-title":"Prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and their association with sexual practices and substance use among 2238 MSM in Lebanon","volume":"9","author":"Assi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2181","DOI":"10.1177\/13591053211027652","article-title":"Assessing LGBTQ+ stigma among healthcare professionals: an application of the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework in a qualitative, community-based participatory research study","volume":"27","author":"Sileo","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Health Psychol"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.6","unstructured":"Proud Lebanon [Internet]. n.d. Available: http:\/\/proudlebanon.org"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.7","unstructured":"KoboToolbox [Internet]. n.d. Available: https:\/\/www.kobotoolbox.org"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e116","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-3018(25)00230-9","article-title":"HIV prevalence, risk behaviours, and cascade of care among men who have sex with men in Iran: a nationwide, cross-sectional, biobehavioural survey","volume":"13","author":"Khezri","year":"2026","journal-title":"Lancet HIV"},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.9","unstructured":"World Health Organization . Guidelines for the management of symptomatic sexually transmitted infections. 2021."},{"key":"2026072810202007000_sextrans-2025-056894v1.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/ofid\/ofad519","article-title":"Sexually transmitted dermatophytes can cause severe infection among men who have sex with men as tinea genitalis","volume":"10","author":"Chromy","year":"2023","journal-title":"Open Forum Infect Dis"}],"container-title":["Sexually Transmitted Infections"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056894","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T17:20:33Z","timestamp":1785259233000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/sti.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056894"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]]},"references-count":10,"alternative-id":["10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056894"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056894","relation":{},"ISSN":["1368-4973","1472-3263"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1368-4973","type":"print"},{"value":"1472-3263","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]]}}}