Ongoing risk behavior among persons with HIV in medical care.
We surveyed randomly selected patients in the largest HIV clinic in Seattle, WA in 2005 and 2006. A total of 397 patients completed usable surveys. Twenty-seven percent of men who have sex with men (MSM) and 22% of women or heterosexual men reported having non-concordant unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse in the preceding year. Compared to 2005, more MSM in 2006 reported meeting a sex partner via the Internet (15% vs. 33%), and fewer met partners in bathhouses (23% vs. 13%). Twenty-four percent of MSM reported deciding not to have sex with a potential partner because he was HIV negative, and 31% of MSM reported that another man had decided not to have sex with them because they were HIV positive. Among all participants, 22% had told a sex partner they were HIV negative since their HIV diagnosis. These findings demonstrate the persistence of high-risk behavior among persons with HIV, a rapid increase in the use of the Internet among MSM to find sex partners, and provide direct evidence for serosorting among MSM.
Golden
Matthew R
MR
Public Health - Seattle & King County, Seattle, USA. golden@u.washington.edu
Wood
Robert W
RW
Buskin
Susan E
SE
Fleming
Mark
M
Harrington
Robert D
RD
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents