Correlates of High-Risk Sexual Behavior among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract

Data from a sample (n = 154) of young men who have sex with men (YMSM), aged 13-21, residing in five mid-sized cities in the midwestern United States were used to test the hypothesis that personality variables (impulsive decision making, sensation seeking, anxiety/depression, internalized homophobia) contribute uniquely to the prediction of unprotected anal sex beyond what is accounted for by other high-risk behaviors (i.e., substance use and number of sex partners) and partner status (having a dating partner). Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that number of reported anal sex partners and partner status were positively associated with self-reported frequency of unprotected anal sex. Beyond these factors, impulsive decision making significantly contributed to the predictive model. These findings indicate that designing effective prevention programming for YMSM should take into consideration relationship status and the impulsiveness of sexual decision making among members of the target group.

Considerations for South African higher education: A 'national student men who have sex with men' sexual behaviour survey

“…Various studies have explored sexual risk behaviour among MSM who are young (Bolding et al 2007;Dudley et al 2004;MacKellar et al 1996;Salomon et al 2009;Warren et al 2008), attending high school (Berten and Van Rossem 2009;Faulkner and Cranston 1998), or attending college or university (Brown and Vanable 2007;Cong et al 2008;Eisenberg 2001;Lindley et al 2003;So, Wong, and DeLeon 2005;Tung, Ding, and Farmer 2008).…”

Correlates of Unprotected Anal Sex at Last Sexual Episode: Analysis from a Surveillance Study of Men who have Sex with Men in Montreal

“…Some of these factors are well established (e.g., partner serostatus [9][10][11] and number of sex partners [10,12]), while others have been inconsistent in their association with UAS (e.g., anxiety and depression [13,14]). Recent shifts in the socio-cultural norms of MSM, such as the emergence of a barebacking identity [15], have suggested the need to explore novel factors.…”

Social correlates of sexual risk behaviors among urban men who have sex with men in Kolkata, India

“…Combinations of these risk factors are the precipitating events for an individual indulging in higher risk of unprotected anal intercourse with multiple sex partners. 26,27 Youth resorts to substance use for reducing their pain, external conflict and internal inhibitions of same sex relationship. 27 Any adverse reactions during the coming out process * Self reported presence of multiple sex partners of either same or opposite sex Coming out process is a major life event where people begin to understand their sexual identity.…”

“…26,27 Youth resorts to substance use for reducing their pain, external conflict and internal inhibitions of same sex relationship. 27 Any adverse reactions during the coming out process * Self reported presence of multiple sex partners of either same or opposite sex Coming out process is a major life event where people begin to understand their sexual identity. Generally the coming out process is associated with structural violence which may affect the sexual risk taking behavior.…”