A survey has discovered that 41% of gay men do not know that they are HIV positive. The investigation, which was carried out in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton and Edinburgh, found that of the 3500 men who took part, nearly one in ten tested positive. More worrying is the large number who are oblivious to HIV. Equally as concerning is the large number of HIV positive men who have previously had tests and still thought they were free from the disease. Out of 92 percent who had been tested, the figure who thought they were HIV negative was nearly two thirds of that, at 62.3 percent.

Experts are concerned that despite being aware of their condition, HIV positive men are still having unsafe sex. Will Nutland, Terrence Higgins Trust's Strategic Lead in Health Promotion told PinkNews, “All of the data shows that at the point of HIV diagnosis it is men who practice unsafe sex who are more likely to be found to be HIV positive, but I don't believe it is the case that men start to practice unsafe sex after they find out their status. What is most concerning about these results is the large amount of gay man who are unaware of their HIV status.” HIV is the sexually transmitted virus which leads to AIDS. The disease leads to many health conditions through a weakened immune system, including rare forms of cancer, loss of vision and some mental health problems. It is advisable for everyone to have a regular general health check-up which involves tests for HIV as well as other health conditions like diabetes and blood pressure. Freedom Healthnet offers fairness in all their policies and offers private medical insurance for homosexuals with equal benefits and conditions.