Homosexually and nonhomosexually identified men who have sex with men: A behavioral comparison

The HIV Blood Donor Study Group includes: American National Red Cross Principal Investigator: Alan Williams, Ph.D., Jerome H. Holland Laboratory; Regional Principal Investigators: Ronald Altman, M.D., New Jersey State Department of Health; Gary Becker, M.D., Badger Region, American Red Cross; Jean Bernarducci, M.T., Bergen Community Blood Center; Michael Busch, M.D., Ph.D., Irwin Memorial Blood Center; Nancy Clary, M.T., North Jersey Blood Center; Jeffery Davis, M.D., Division of Health, State of Wisconsin; Frederick Darr, M.D., Washington Region, American Red Cross; Alfred Grindon, M.D., Atlanta Region, American Red Cross; Steven Kleinman, M.D., Los Angeles‐Orange County Region, American Red Cross; Harold Lamberson, M.D., Ph.D., Syracuse Region, American Red Cross; Bruce Lenes, M.D., Miami Region, American Red Cross; Jay Menitove, M.D., The Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin; Jose Molinaris, M.D., Puerto Rico Region, American Red Cross; Paul Ness, M.D.; Chesapeake Region, American Red Cross; Cathy Raevsky, B.A., Colorado Department of Health; Paul Holland, M.D., Center for Blood Research, Sacramento Medical Foundation; A. William Shafer, M.D., Southeastern Michigan Chapter, American Red Cross; William Sherwood, M.D., Pennsylvania/Jersey Region, American Red Cross; Cladd Stevens, M.D., New York Blood Center; Hope Vaughan, M.T., Central Jersey Blood Center; Regional Study Coordinators: Ellen Arnold, R.N., Pennsylvania/Jersey Region, American Red Cross; Diane E. Donovan, R.N., Syracuse Region, American Red Cross; Debra Kessler, R.N., M.S., New York Blood Center; Marleine Harper, R.N., Chesapeake Region, American Red Cross; Julie Hernandez, R.N., Miami Region, American Red Cross; Toni Ksell, New Jersey Department of Health; Shirley McElfresh, R.N., Southeastern Michigan Region, American Red Cross; Mary Kay Myers, Colorado Department of Health; Anna Montgomery, R.N., New Jersey Department of Health; Margo Nason, R.N., Irwin Memorial Blood Center; Juan Sanchez, M.D., Puerto Rico Region, American Red Cross; Georgine Schulze, M.T., The Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin; Marilyn Shahan, Washington, D.C. Region, American Red Cross; Stacey Stephenson, M.P.H., Atlanta Region, American Red Cross; Jeanne Theobald, R.N., Sacramento Medical Foundation Blood Center; Diana Wilke, R.N., Los Angeles‐Orange County Region, American Red Cross.

From January 1988 to September 1989, 209 HIV‐1 seropositive male blood donors who reported sex with men were interviewed at 20 U.S. blood centers. Most (59%) were Black or Hispanic and self‐identified as bisexual (30%) or heterosexual (25%). During the year before their last donation, 73% of homosexually, 62% of bisexually, and 29% of heterosexually identified men had engaged in unprotected anal sex with men. Overall, few had ties to gay communities; however, 24% of bisexually and 58% of heterosexually identified men had female primary partners. There were no racial/ethnic differences in gender of partners in the last year, although Blacks were more likely to identify themselves as bisexual (44%) and Hispanics as heterosexual (34%). These data suggest the need to target prevention efforts at men having unprotected sex with male or female partners, regardless of sexual identity, and to examine social network and cultural influences affecting sexual behavior and sexual identity.

Key words:

• human immunodeficiency virus
• AIDS
• homosexuality
• bisexuality
• blood donors