ABSTRACT
In 2007, a large scale behavioral surveillance survey (N = 1764) was conducted in 10 Ukrainian cities using chain referral sampling to measure HIV risk behaviors and service utilization among men who have sex with men (MSM). The majority of MSM were 25 years or older, completed secondary school or higher, never married, and currently single. Just over a third of MSM reported not using a condom at last penetrative sex with a man. In a multivariate regression analysis controlling for several factors MSM had significantly higher odds of using a condom at last penetrative sex with another man if they were younger, had occasional partners in the past 6 months, ever had an HIV test and perceived themselves to be at high risk for HIV and significantly lower odds if they had sexual contact with a main male or with any female partner in the past 6 months and used alcohol in the past month. This article provides baseline data about MSM's sexual risk behaviors in Ukraine and discusses the need for essential targeted prevention and intervention programs to help MSM make informed decisions about their sexual behaviors.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This survey was conducted by the Ukrainian Institute of Social Research under O. Yaremenko, coordinated by the Ukrainian International HIV/AIDS Alliance and supported by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Notes
a Controlling for age, education, ever being married, having a paid partner in the past 6 months, injection and non-injection drug use, tested for an STI and exposure to HIV/AIDS materials in past 12 months.
*p < 0.05.
**p < 0.01.
***p < 0.001.