Publication Abstract Display
Type: Published Abstract
Title: Sexual risk practices of HIV+ gay men and their anonymous partners.
Authors: Semple SJ, Patterson TL, Grant I
Year: 2001
Publication: Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume: 23 Issue: Pages: 14
Abstract:The purpose of this study was to characterize the social and psychological characteristics, and sexual risk practices of HIV+ gay men who have anonymous sex partners. Data from 288 HIV+ gay men enrolled in a safer sex program were used to: (1) compare men who had anonymous partners (N=138) with men who did not have anonymous partners (N=150) on three classes of variables (i.e., personal characteristics, contextual, social cognitive); (2) describe sexual risk practices and disclosure behaviors of men in the context of anonymous sexual encounters; and (3) test whether theoretical variable reliably distinguish between HIV+ men who had unprotected intercourse (UAI) and the counterparts who did not have UAI with their anonymous partners (no UAI). Men who had anonymous partners were more likely to be living alone, had higher scores on loneliness, disinhibition, and avoidant coping, and had lower scores on self-efficacy and positive outcome expectancies in relation to condom use, negotiation of safer sex, and disclosure of serostatus as compared to men who did not have anonymous partners. Forty-six percent of men who had anonymous partners engaged in UAI, and 75%did not disclose their serostatus to their anonymous partner(s). A logistic regression revealed that more avoidant coping, increased use of stimulant drugs, and more negative outcome expectancies for condom use distinguished between men who had UAI with their anonymous partners and those who did not have UAI. Clinical application of findings are discussed in terms of modification of these factors through the use of motivational interviewing and skill-building exercises.

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