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AIDS risk taking behaviour among homosexual men : sociodemographic markers and policy implications

Hogg, Robert S.; Craib, Kevin J.P.; Willoughby, Brian; Sestak, Philip; Montaner, Julio; Schechter, Martin T.

Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (CHSPR)

The objective of this study is to determine whether there are sociodemographic markers which distinguish seronegative men who continue to place themselves at risk through unprotected anal intercourse with casual sex partners from those seronegative men who do not participate in this practice. Eligible subjects were identified in large urban cohort of homosexual men as those who were HIV negative and who completed an index visit between October 1989 and September 1990 and reported having sexual contact with casual partners during the previous 12 month period. Risk takers were those who reported having unprotected anal receptive or insertive intercourse with casual partners; while the remaining subjects (controls) were those who reported either not engaging in anal intercourse with casual partners or using condoms at all times when they did. Nonparametric methods were used to compare sociodemographic variables between the risk takers and the controls. A total of 139 seronegative men were eligible. Of these, 31 subjects were included in the risk taking group and 108 in the control group. Risk takers were significantly younger (median age of 35 versus 40 years; p=0.013) and were more likely to have incomes below $10,000 (37 versus 12 per cent; p=0.002), to smoke cigarettes (58 versus 35 per cent; p=0.022), and to use nitrite inhalants (55 versus 30 per cent; p=0.010) than controls. These results indicate that there are number sociodemographic variables that characterize seronegative men who continue to place themselves at risk through unprotected anal intercourse with casual sex partners. Overall our findings suggest the importance of targeting AIDS prevention activities to younger gay men, to those of lower socioeconomic status, and to those exhibiting other risk behaviour such as smoking and use of nitrite inhalants.

Report

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0048323

Health Care and Epidemiology, Department of; Non UBC; Medicine, Faculty of; Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of

Faculty; Researcher

DSpace