Intimate Partner Violence and HIV Sexual Risk Behavior Among Latino Gay and Bisexual Men: The Role of Situational Factors

ABSTRACT

Using a probability sample of 912 Latino gay and bisexual men at bars in 3 U.S. cities (Los Angeles, Miami, New York), this study examines how participation in difficult sexual situations with interpersonal (e.g., wanting to please partner) and circumstantial constraints (e.g., sex in partner's home) may explain associations between dimensions of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV sexual risk behavior (unprotected anal intercourse with nonmonogamous partner). Findings suggest that all IPV types contribute to greater participation in sexual situations with circumstantial constraints, and that psychological and sexual IPV are also associated with higher likelihood of unprotected receptive anal intercourse with a nonmonogamous partner. Circumstantial constraints fully mediate the difference attributable to psychological IPV and partially mediate the difference attributable to sexual IPV. Intimacy concerns were unrelated to either IPV or HIV risk behavior. Results suggest HIV prevention and research should investigate immediate circumstances of the sexual encounter that may make engaging in HIV sexual risk behavior more likely.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• Latino
• gay
• partner violence
• situational

Acknowledgments

The research presented in this article was supported by Grant R01 HD32776 (R. M. Díaz, PI) from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This project was approved by the University of California, San Francisco, Institutional Review Board. The lead author (Matthew B. Feldman) was supported as a postdoctoral fellow in the Behavioral Sciences Training in Drug Abuse Research program sponsored by Medical and Health Association of New York City, Inc. and the National Development and Research Institutes with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (5T32 DA07233). Points of view, opinions, and conclusions in this article do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Government, Medical and Health Association of New York City, Inc. or the National Development and Research Institutes.

Notes

⁺ p< .10.

*p< .05.

**p< 01.

***p< .001.