62 Percent of American Men who tested Positive for HIV have Unprotected Sex

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that a continuously high lack of awareness regarding HIV is responsible for new infection in the population, with a particularly high number of individuals infected from the gay, bisexual and MSM communities.

The organization analysed data from the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) to estimate the percentage of HIV diagnoses among MSM by area of residence. They also examined data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) to estimate unprotected anal sex throughout the past 12 months among MSM communities in 2005, 2008 and 2011.

The report indicates that 62 percent of those who self-reported having HIV said they had participated in unprotected anal sex with another man in the last year, and only 67 percent of the sexually-active men reported getting an HIV test in the past year.

According to CBS Atlanta, in 2011, men who sex with other men accounted for at least half of those diagnosed with HIV in all but two states.

"High HIV prevalence, lack of awareness of HIV-positive status, and unprotected anal sex' between gay, bisexual and other men are all factors that contribute to continued new infections among the population," the CDC notes, via a press release.

Statistics show that 1 in 6 individuals in the United States alone are living with HIV yet unaware, and approximately 1 in 4 new cases among youth ages 13 to 24 arises every day.

Protecting yourself during sexual activity is one of the best choices you can make to prevent virus transmission.