Profiles of HIV Risk, Sexual Power, and Decision-Making among Sexual Minority Men of Color Who Engage in Transactional Sex: A Latent Profile Analysis

Abstract

Though the transmission of HIV is preventable, there were still 37,968 new documented cases in the United States in 2018. HIV incidence is disproportionate in sexual minority men of color. The purpose of this study was to examine sexual relationship power risk profiles to identify distinct subgroups within the profiles who carry the highest HIV risk. Latent class profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of sexual minority men of color at the highest risk for contracting HIV based on their sexual power profiles. Among 322 sexual minority men, we identified four latent profiles. Profile 1: Low transactional sex and high power (n = 133; 14.3%); Profile 2: Transactional sex, high decision-making in sexual relationships, and low control in sexual relationship (n = 99; 30.7%); Profile 3: Low transactional sex, low decision-making, and moderate control (n = 43; 13.4%); Profile 4: High transactional sex and low power (n = 47; 14.6%). LPA was useful to identify distinct subgroups based on measures of sexual risk and relationship sexual power. Findings carry significant implications for developing tailored strategies to increase HIV knowledge and related HIV prevention and risk reduction services for sexual minority men of color who engage in transactional sex.

How to Safeguard University Students Against HIV Transmission? Results of a Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy

“…The findings of the present survey provide an up-to-date insight about knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors of undergraduate university students regarding HIV infection in order to identify opportunities to improve adherence to prevention strategies through future tailored interventions. The understanding of factors unique to this age group is pivotal to aid in the design of the educational campaigns, considering that HIV infection constitutes a societal threat with a devastating impact among young people due to their lack of effective maturity to make beneficial sexual decisions (20). This survey provides 3 major findings.…”