Objective  To analyze the survival time and its related factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) with human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndromes (HIV/AIDS) in Jinhua city of Zhejiang province.

  Methods  The data for the retrospective cohort study were extracted from National AIDS Prevention and Control Information System. The participants were 1 326 MSM with HIV/AIDS living in Jinhua city at the time being registered from 2002 through 2018 and all the participants were followed up to December 31, 2018. Life table method was applied to calculate the survival rate and Cox proportion hazard regression model was used to analyze factors related with survival time.

  Results  Of all the participants, 1 129 (85.14%) received antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 1 272 (95.93%) completed the final follow-up. The total follow-up time was 54 083.90 person-months, with an average follow-up time of 40.78 ± 31.26 person-months and totally 21 died of AIDS related diseases by the end of the follow-up. The average survival time was 185.10 months (95% confidence interval 95% CI: 177.47 – 192.73) and the survival rate for 1, 5, 10, and 15 years after the incidence registration were 98.53%, 98.02%, 93.12%, and 93.12%, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportion hazard regression model indicated that not receiving ART (hazard risk HR = 22.753, 95% CI: 8.510 – 60.832), diagnosed as AIDS at the registration (HR = 7.820, 95% CI: 2.141 – 28.560), with a lower baseline CD4⁺T cell count (< 250 cells/μl) (HR = 5.307, 95% CI:1.425 – 19.759) were risk factors for decreased survival compared with receiving ART, diagnosed as HIV infection at the registration, and a higher baselin CD4⁺T cell count (≥ 250 cell/μl).

  Conclusion  The outcome of ART is good among the MSM with HIV/AIDS in Jinhua city and early diagnosis and treatment are the key measures to prolong the survival time of MSM with HIV/AIDS.