Risk & protective factors related to HIV-risk behavior: A comparison between HIV-positive and HIV-negative young MSM

This study assessed and compared the prevalence of high risk sexual behaviors among young HIV-negative (n=8,064) and HIV-positive (n=171) men who have sex with men (MSM) on predictors of UAI for each group. Using venue-based time-space sampling, 8,235 MSM aged 15-25 were anonymously surveyed as a part of the Community Intervention Trial for Youth (CITY). The CITY Project was conducted in 13 communities across the United States from 1999-2002. Rates of risky sexual behaviors were high for both serostatus groups, with 40% of HIV-positive men and 34% of HIV-negative men reporting they had UAI in the previous 3 months. HIV-positive MSM were more likely to have traded sex for money, food, drugs or a place to stay within the previous year and to have had sex while high during their last sexual encounter than were their uninfected peers. HIV-infected men also had UAI with more sexual partners than did those who were uninfected. Multivariate analyses indicated that for HIV-negative men, positive peer norms regarding safer sex and being Black predicted avoidance of UAI. Among HIV-positive men, having social support around sexuality and positive peer norms predicted avoidance of UAI.