Communicating HIV status in sexual interactions: assessing social cognitive constructs, situational factors, and individual characteristics among South African MSM.
This study assessed whether social cognitive constructs, situational factors, and individual characteristics were associated with communicating HIV status and whether communication was related to sexual risk behavior. A quota-sampling method stratified by age, race, and township was used to recruit 300 men who have sex with men to participate in a community-based survey in Pretoria in 2008. Participants reported characteristics of their last sexual encounter involving anal sex, including whether they or their partner had communicated their HIV status. Fifty-nine percent of participants reported that they or their partner had communicated their HIV status. HIV communication self-efficacy (aOR = 1.2, 95 % CI: 1.04-1.68), being with a steady partner (aOR = 0.36, 95 % CI: 0.19-0.67), and being Black (versus White; aOR = 0.08, 95 % CI: 0.03-0.27) were independently associated with communicating HIV status. Communicating HIV status was not associated with unprotected anal intercourse. HIV communication self-efficacy increases men's likelihood of communicating HIV status. Being with a steady partner and being Black reduces that likelihood. Communication about HIV status did not lead to safer sex.
HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, NYS Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY 10032, USA. jrk2115@columbia.edu
Justin
J
Knox
Vasu
V
Reddy
Farnaz
F
Kaighobadi
Dawie
D
Nel
Theo
T
Sandfort
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult