Gold R, Skinner M; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24; 8: D417 (abstract no. PoD 5182).
Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.
OBJECTIVES: Investigated (a) the situational variables that distinguish between sexual encounters in which young gay men (i) engage in, (ii) refrain from, unprotected anal intercourse; and (b) the self-justifications for having unprotected intercourse they use at the time of deciding to do so. METHOD: Young gay men who had engaged in unprotected intercourse in the preceding 6 months were asked to recall two sexual encounters from that period: one in which they had unprotected intercourse ('unsafe' encounter or UE) and one in which they had resisted a strong temptation to do so ('safe' encounter or SE). The sample comprised 219 men, aged 15-21 years, from Melbourne. 42% had engaged in unprotected intercourse with three or more men in the last year. 53% were able to recall a SE. RESULTS. (a) Characteristics of UE. In 24% of cases, respondents' partners were anonymous contacts. In 58%, ejaculation into the rectum occurred. At the time, 84% of respondents had known that unprotected intercourse is a high-risk activity. Only 5% had known that both they and their partner had been tested for antibodies, and were no longer in the test's window period. The possibility of becoming infected did not occur to 17%; among the rest, 63% had thought they were taking no more than a slight risk. The first factor that emerged from a Factor Analysis of the self-justification data had to do with risk-taking in response to a negative mood, the second factor with inferring from perceptible characteristics of the partner that he was unlikely to be infected. The most commonly used self-justification was of this latter type. Younger respondents reported greater use of Factor 2 self-justifications. (b) Variables distinguishing between UE and SE. Results differed from those in our earlier study of older gay men in that (i) type of partner and desire for excitement failed to distinguish between the encounters, (ii) mood again distinguished between the encounters, but in the opposite direction: respondents had been in a worse mood at the start of the evening in UE than SE. As in the earlier study, alcohol and drug consumption did not distinguish between the encounters, while there had been more communication about desires regarding safe sex in SE. Use of 'porn' during the evening failed to differentiate the encounters, but there had been greater use of 'dirty talk' as part of sex in UE. CONCLUSION. The findings can be used to inform AIDS education strategies for young gay men.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Health Education
- Homosexuality
- Homosexuality, Male
- Humans
- Male
- Mental Processes
- Risk-Taking
- Safe Sex
Other ID:
UI: 102200403
From Meeting Abstracts