Sexual Risk Behavior has Decreased Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Los Angeles but Remains Greater than that Among Heterosexual Men and Women

Abstract

Sexual risk behavior has decreased among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles but remains greater than that among heterosexual men and women Surveys, a population-based telephone survey, were analyzed to examine the association of sociodemographic and health-related factors with sexual risk behaviors among the three groups. In each time period, MSM reported a significantly greater percentage of sexual risk (i.e., both inconsistent condom use and multiple sex partners in the past 12 months) compared with heterosexual men and women. Multivariate analyses indicated that MSM and heterosexual men reported greater sexual risk than heterosexual women. Respondents who were younger, U.S. born, reported heavy alcohol consumption, or had been tested for HIV in the past 24 months were more likely to report sexual risk behavior. The findings suggest the need for continued targeted prevention for MSM and prevention efforts for segments of the general population at elevated risk for HIV.In the United States HIV continues to disproportionately impact men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly when compared with heterosexual men and women. Recent data indicate that the incidence of new HIV infections and AIDS diagnoses among MSM continues to vastly exceed those of heterosexual men and women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2007). Nationally, MSM make up the largest proportion (39%) of new infections, compared with 5% and 12% for 312

HIV Risk Behavior Among HIV-Infected Men Who have Sex with Men in Bangkok, Thailand

“…Although aimed at female sex workers and their clients, Thailand's successful 100% condom campaign promoted condom use in commercial sex transactions and may have influenced condom use in male-to-male commercial sex as well [16]. We found that many HIV-positive MSM had multiple sex partners, consistent with previous reports from populations of MSM with unknown HIV serostatus [12][13][14]. HIV-infected MSM with steady male partners and female partners in this study had particularly high rates of anal sex without a condom.…”

“…HIV-infected MSM in this report had riskier behavior than reported by MSM in other studies [14,25], most likely due to the selection of the study population from an STI clinic. However, this may also be influenced by the fact that about one-third of those in this study had been aware of their HIV status for \1 month at the time of risk behavior data collection.…”

“…Without specific prevention interventions for HIV-infected MSM, transmission may persist and rates of HIV infection among MSM continue to rise, as projected in models of new HIV infections in Thailand [4]. However, reports from the US and Europe have shown decreased sexual risk behavior among MSM following HIV prevention interventions [14,15], and such effective interventions are urgently needed in Thailand.…”

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

“…The Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) national survey of students at HEIs found relatively high condom use among students: 65 per cent of male students aged 18 to 24 years and 60 per cent of those aged 25 years and older reported using a condom the last time they had sex (HEAIDS 2010). An international study of the MSM population at schools and HEIs in many countries showed inconsistent condom use in a context of multiple recent sex partners (Brooks et al 2008).…”

Lower HIV Prevalence Among Asian/Pacific Islander Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Critical Review for Possible Reasons

“…Of the five studies that compared numbers of sex partners between MSM of different races/ ethnicities [7,[12][13][14][15], four studies found no significant differences in numbers of sex partners between API MSM and MSM of other races/ethnicities [12][13][14][15]. The HIV Testing Survey (HITS) found that about the same proportions (26%) of API, White, Black and Latino reported twothree partners in the past 12 months; however, a higher proportion of API men (60%) reported four or more partners compared to others (47,39, & 45%) [13].…”