Romania (2008): Baseline Survey Findings among Men who have Sex with Men in 10 Cities, Romania First round of BSS Tracking Survey

The current study represents the first part of the research included in this program and serves as a tool to inform programming. Its main objective is to provide baseline data on selected behaviours related to HIV prevention among MSM and their related determinants. The key behaviours are 1) condom use at last anal sex; consistent condom use (with different types of partners); 2) ever getting tested for HIV and informed of the result; and 3) factors related to MSM opportunity, ability, and motivation (OAM) to adopt safer behaviour. The study employed a two phases approach, due to practical reasons related to fieldwork: snowball sampling (RDS was planned, but not possible, because of the impossibility to recruit seeds according to RDS principles seeds to be representatives of various sub-groups of MSM, highly involved in the community, highly sociable etc) and telephone interviewing over a period of 8 weeks; convenience sampling and online interviewing over a period of 5 weeks. The questionnaire for both data collection methods included approximately 60 items, covering the following topics: socio-demographic characteristics, including screening questions; level of exposure to the gay scene; condom use behaviours; HIV testing behaviours; OAM factors related to condom use and HIV testing, DALY measurement questions.