title: Actual versus perceived HIV status, sexual behaviors and predictors of unprotected sex among young gay and bisexual men who identify as HIV-negative, HIV-positive and untested.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the prevalence and predictors of HIV sexual risk behavior among young gay and bisexual men who perceived themselves to be HIV-negative, HIV-positive, or who were untested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based sample of young gay and bisexual men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using multi-stage probability sampling, 408 gay and bisexual men aged 18-29 years in San Francisco were recruited and interviewed, and blood samples for HIV-testing from 364 participants were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV prevalence was 18.7%, although 25% of the men who were HIV-positive did not know it. Thirty-seven per cent reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse during the past year, including 59% of the men who knew they were HIV-positive, 35% of the men who perceived themselves HIV-negative and 28% of the untested men. Logistic regressions found similar predictors of unprotected intercourse for HIV-negatives and HIV-positives, including sexual impulsivity, substance use, sexual enjoyment and communication problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high rates of unprotected intercourse, particularly among the HIV-positive men, attest to the urgent need for HIV-prevention interventions for young gay and bisexual men. The findings suggest that many of the important variables to target in interventions are similar for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative men.
authors.affiliation: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco 94105, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekstrand
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kegeles
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stall
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Coates
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology