Correlates of sexual risk-taking behaviour among HIV seropositive gay men in concordant primary partner relationships

Abstract

This study sought to understand how person, perceived health risks, psychosocial, and mental health factors relate to unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among 91 HIV seropositive (HIV + ) gay men in concordant primary partner relationships. The data was drawn from a larger sample of 464 HIV + men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) from mainstream gay venues, AIDS service organizations, and public sex environments in New York City and San Francisco. The findings from this study suggest that UAI is a common behaviour among HIV + gay men in seroconcordant couples, which may compromise their health due to the possibility of HIV reinfection and the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases. Results from our analyses indicated that lower perceived risk of HIV reinfection, lower behavioural intentions for condom use, and higher CD4 counts were predictive of HIV + gay men engaging in UAI with their HIV + primary partner. In situations where there is discordance in HIV strain type or in dyads where monogamy is not maintained, the practice of UAI may present health risks for the men in HIV + seroconcordant relationships.

Acknowledgments

The Seropositive Urban Men's Study (SUMS) was supported by a cooperative agreement funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U62/CCU213605). The authors acknowledge the contributions of the other members of the SUMS Team: Michael Stirratt (Centre for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training at New Jersey City University); Cynthia Gomez, Robert Hays (Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California—San Francisco); Robert Remien (Columbia University); and Richard Wolitski, David Purcell, James Carey, Ann O'Leary (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention). We also acknowledge the many other project staff that assisted with SUMS.