Purposeful HIV sero-conversion in men who have sex with men in the United States

Purposeful HIV sero-conversion in men who have sex with men (MSM) has been alluded to in the popular press and in at least two international research journals within the past decade. However, the primary focus in the literature has been on the prevalence of this behavior and little research has attempted to answer the question of why this behavior is occurring. 100 MSM were randomly selected for ethnographic interviews, which were conducted either in-person or on-line. Questions regarding current and past sexual behavior, as well as reasons for seeking HIV sero-conversion were asked of each informant. Responses were analyzed utilizing Nvivo and Xsight software. Preliminary findings indicate that informant explanations for this phenomenon can be grouped into several discrete thematic categories. The implications of this study are relevant for designing efficacious HIV counseling interventions that truly address the behaviors of all segments of the population.