**4.1.2 Questionnaires and oral fluid samples collected**

Table 2 shows the number of questionnaires and the number of oral fluid samples gathered during the data collection period for each country. Both the number of valid and invalid questionnaires and OF samples are given. From a general point of view, the percentage of invalid questionnaires is low, with the highest percentage in Ljubljana (0.7%). In three cases the percentage is 0% (Athens, Bucharest and Bratislava). With regards to the OF samples, in


Table 2. Number of questionnaires and OF samples collected and percentage of valid samples

The SIALON Project: Report on HIV Prevalence

Fig. 3. Age distribution of MSM recruited by city

HIV in specific and general population.

calculate the different percentages and levels of the indicators).

**4.2 UNGASS indicators** 

and Risk Behaviour Among MSM in Six European Cities 215

In this section, the main data referring to the UNGASS indicators are provided. As mentioned in section 2, a specific Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and a Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS were proposed and adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2001. In these documents, a specific set of epidemiological and surveillance activities are proposed, as well as the adoption of the so-called UNGASS indicators. UNGASS indicators are a set of measures to be used among different countries in order to effectively monitor the HIV epidemic (UNAIDS & WHO, 2009). The idea which is behind the UNGASS indicators is that all data provided by the different countries can represent a reliable picture of the status of the epidemic and on the different prevention activities implemented against the spread of

The national-level UNGASS indicators are basically divided into three categories. The first one refers to the National commitment and action, taking into account topics as policy decisions, financial plan and activities for the HIV prevention, testing and treatment, drugs and care as well. The second category refers to knowledge and behaviour in different population, while the third category refers to the national level programme impact. For all these three areas, specific guidelines and procedures on how these indicators have to be calculated are provided (for instance, they provide specific numerators and denominators to

Despite the relevance and importance of the UNGASS Declaration and the number of countries involved in this process, it should be mentioned that to date, a number of limitations in the UNGASS reporting have emerged. For instance, in 2008 less than half of those countries that stated the indicators and procedures referring to the most-at-risk populations (MSM included) were able to provide data based on these very indicators.

two cities the percentage of invalid samples is higher than 10% (Athens 15.7%; Bucharest 13.3%). In the other cities the percentage is low, ranging from 2.3% (Verona) to 2.5% (Ljubljana, Barcelona and Bratislava).
