HIV/STI risk behaviors among gay and nongay-identified men who have sex with men

Epidemiological research has posited that non-gay or -bisexual-identified men who have sex with men (NGBI MSM) engage in more HIV/STI risk behaviors than other MSM. A major limitation of prior research, however, is that it focused on high-risk samples within geographically-confined areas. I used the National Survey of Family Growth, a nationally-representative, area probability sample of 4,928 men. I tested for racial differences in the odds of being NGBI MSM based upon past-year sexual behavior. Also, I performed bivariate logistic regression analyses in which I modelled being NGBI MSM as a predictor of multiple HIV/STI risk behaviors (alpha = .05). Half (52%) of the MSM were NGBI MSM. The odds of Black (OR = 4.69) and Latino (OR = 3.60) MSM being so was greater than that of White MSM. NGBI MSM had a lower odds of ever being tested for HIV (OR = 0.22) or other STIs (OR = 0.54). Yet, NGBI MSM had a higher odds of being treated for an STI (OR = 2.56) and contracting syphilis (OR = 3.57). Moreover, they had a higher odds of injecting drugs (OR = 10.04), engaging in sex work (OR = 2.70), having sex while intoxicated (OR = 2.32), not using a condom at last sexual encounter (OR = 1.89), and having multiple partners (OR = 3.03) in the past year. My study revealed elevated HIV/STI risk behaviors among NGBI MSM in the United States. I concluded with a discussion of HIV/STI prevention needs for NGBI MSM.