In 2008, an estimated 34,600 men who have sex with men were living with HIV in the UK. This includes 25,600 diagnosed people accessing care and a further 9,000 estimated to be undiagnosed.
How many of these people have been diagnosed and are accessing HIV specialist care?
In 2008 there were 25,600 men who have sex with men in the UK living with a diagnosed HIV infection in the UK and accessing HIV care.
How has this been changing over time?
The number of men who have sex with men accessing HIV specialist care has increased every year in the last decade, from 11,200 in 1999 to 25,600 in 2008.
The percentage shows the change compared to the previous year.
The chart shows how the number of HIV positive men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK has changed over time, sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID Table AgeMSM: Diagnosed HIV-infected MSM seen for care by age, United Kingdom: 1999-2008.
What about men who have sex of different ethnicities?
The vast majority of men who have sex with men living with HIV and being seen for HIV care are white.
| Ethnicity | % of total men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK |
| White | 87.4% |
| Black Caribbean | 2% |
| Black African | 1.3% |
| Other/Mixed | 8.2% |
| Unknown | 1.1% |
| | 100% |
This information is calculated from data found in the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID Table EthnMSM: Diagnosed HIV-infected MSM seen for care by ethnic group, United Kingdom. 22,340 were white, 520 were black Caribbean and 330 were black African.
What about men who have sex with men of different ages?
The overall age profile of men who have sex with men living with HIV is slightly older than the averages for all people living with HIV.
| Age | % of total men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK |
| 15-24 | 3% |
| 25-34 | 19% |
| 35-44 | 40% |
| 45-54 | 27% |
| 55 and over | 11% |
| | 100% |
This is a breakdown of HIV positive men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK in 2008, reported by the Health Protection Agency.
How does this vary between nations in the UK?
The vast majority of men who have sex with men living with HIV in the UK live in England, and distribution between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the same as for people living with HIV generally.
| Nation | % of total men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK |
| England | 92% |
| Scotland | 4% |
| Wales | 2% |
| Northern Ireland | 1% |
| Unknown/no fixed abode/abroad | 1% |
| | 100% |
This information is calculated from data found in the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID Table SHAMSM: Diagnosed HIV-infected MSM seen for care by area of residence, United Kingdom: 1999-2008.
23,480 HIV positive men who have sex with men live and access HIV care in England, 1,150 in Scotland, 570 in Wales and 190 in Northern Ireland. In London there are close to 12,320 HIV positive men who have sex with men accessing HIV care.
How does this vary in different regions within England?
Nearly half of all men who have sex with men living with HIV in England live in London. This is in line with people living with HIV generally.
| Region | % of total men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK |
| London | 48% |
| North West | 11% |
| South East Coastal | 8% |
| West Midlands | 5% |
| South West | 5% |
| East of England | 4% |
| Yorkshire & The Humber | 3% |
| South Central | 3% |
| East Midlands | 3% |
| North East | 2% |
| Total England | 92% |
This information is calculated from data found in the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID Table SHAMSM: Diagnosed HIV-infected MSM seen for care by area of residence, United Kingdom: 1999-2008.
23,500 HIV positive men who have sex with men live and access HIV care in England. In London there are close to 12,300 HIV positive men who have sex with men accessing HIV care.
How many men who have sex with men have HIV but don’t know it?
Over one quarter of men who have sex with men living with HIV are unaware of their infection. This is about the same proportion as that of people living with HIV generally.
| | % of total men who have sex with men accessing HIV care in the UK |
| Diagnosed | 73% |
| Undiagnosed | 27% |
| | 100% |
This information is based on the Health Protection Agency’s estimates of the number of adults aged 15-59 living with HIV in the UK in 2008, found in their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2009 Report.
How many men who have sex with men who live in the UK are diagnosed with HIV each year?
2,430 men who have sex with men who live in the UK were newly diagnosed with HIV during 2008. These accounted for about one third of new diagnoses.
How has this been changing over time?
Significant numbers of men who have sex with men are being diagnosed with HIV each year in the UK. In recent years the increase had been higher than for other groups until 2008, when there was a significant decrease in the number of men who have sex with men newly diagnosed with HIV.
The number of men who have sex with men newly diagnosed each year increased from 1,440 in 1999 to 2,430 in 2008. Proportionately this is a slightly smaller increase compared with the overall increase in new diagnosis over the same period.
The percentage shows the increase compared to the previous year.
The data reflect diagnoses made in 2008 reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2009, sourced from their HIV New Diagnoses Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Table 2 (2008).