The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #39589

Nicole Crepaz, PhD, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention - Behavioral Intervention Research Branch, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E37, Atlanta, GA 30333, 4046396149, ncc9@cdc.gov and Gary Marks, PhD, DHAP, Epidemiology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Mailstop E-45, Atlanta, GA 30333.

This study assesses HIV-positive men’s sexual behaviors with partners at risk for infection, and examined the extent to which safer sex was associated with interpersonal communication variables, namely, (1) disclosure of one’s seropositive status and (2) specific communication with partners about safer sex practices. A total of 105 HIV-positive men (43% homosexual, 38% bisexual, 19% heterosexual), randomly sampled at an HIV outpatient clinic in Los Angeles, completed a behavioral questionnaire assessing events in their most recent sexual encounter with an HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partner (at-risk partner). Results indicate that men who disclosed their seropositive status and explicitly discussed the topic of safer sex with their at-risk partners had a significantly higher prevalence of protected anal or vaginal intercourse than did men who disclosed only. Having had sex with the partner three times or less, higher education, higher income, and having tested HIV-positive more than three years prior to participating the study were also associated with safer sex with at-risk partners. The findings suggest that post-test counseling regarding the importance of disclosing one’s seropositive status to sex partners must be augmented by behavioral interventions that enhance seropositive person’s skills in communicating explicitly with partners about safer sex to help reduce the incidence of HIV transmission. Interventions tailored to HIV-positive men should also target those who have tested seropositive recently, those who have less income and are less educated, and those who have had several previous sexual intercourse episodes with at-risk partners.

Learning Objectives:

• The audience will be given a perspective on the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic that emphasizes the need for increased prevention services or behavioral intervention targeted at HIV seropositive persons who are aware of their infection status. This angle on fighting the epidemic has not been given adequate attention. In this respect, the audience will become familiar with risk factors for unsafe sex among HIV-positive men and how a basic understanding of those factors can be used to develop effective prevention and intervention programs that will help reduce sexual transmission of HIV.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.