Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109642

David S. Bimbi, MA, Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training, CUNY Graduate Center & Hunter College, c/o CHEST 250 West 26th Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001, (212) 206-7919 x237, dbimbi@hunter.cuny.edu, Jeffrey T. Parsons, PhD, Psychology Department, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021, and The SUMIT study team, Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training, CUNY Hunter College, c/o CHEST 250 West 26th Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001.

Background: Prior research with HIV+ MSM indicates that some men employ harm reduction strategies to minimize the transmission of HIV to their sexual partners in addition to or in the absence of a “use a condom everytime” approach. Methods: In NYC and San Francisco 1172 sexually active HIV+ MSM age 20 to 89 (M = 41years, S.D.=7.9), 54.6% men of color, were surveyed about their unprotected sexual practices with non-HIV+ partners. Additionally, participants were asked to rank, on a scale from 2 to 8, seven specific sexual practices according to risk with mutual masturbation (1) and anal insertive sex with ejaculation (9) as anchors. Results: Men of color were significantly younger than white men, reported being HIV+ for fewer years, and rated the risk of anal insertive sex without ejaculation lower than white men. However, white men significantly rated unprotected oral sex without ejaculation, and unprotected anal receptive sex without ejaculation as less risky compared to men of color. Overall, significant findings indicate that those who engaged in one of four specific risk behaviors (e.g., unprotected anal insertive sex without ejaculation) rated each respective behavior as lower in risk compared to those who did not engage in that behavior. Conclusions: Knowledge of the risk of specific sexual acts for HIV transmission appears to be related to engaging in sexual risk behaviors. These findings indicate the need to combat assumptions regarding the risk of sexual behaviors beyond unprotected anal insertive sex with ejaculation.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session participants will be able to 1)describe differences in beliefs about the risks of specific sexual acts among MSM, 2)assess the relationship of such beliefs to sexual behavior and 3)develop strategies for challenging such beliefs.

Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation