AEGiS-07IAC: Unsafe sexual behaviour among gay men: a critique of the relapse model.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

Print this Article


Unsafe sexual behaviour among gay men: a critique of the relapse model.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:36 (abstract no. W.D.52)
Hickson F, Davies PM, Hunt AJ, Weatherburn P, McManus TJ, Coxon AP; Project SIGMA, South Bank Polytechnic, London, UK

OBJECTIVES: To examine the assumptions behind the notion of 'relapse' as applied to the re-emergence of unsafe sexual behaviour after a period of safe behaviour among homosexual men.

METHOD: A cohort of 381 gay and bisexual men in England and Wales were interviewed in 1988 and again in 1989 about their sexual behaviour, knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV and AIDS as part of Project SIGMA.

RESULTS: 45% of the cohort had engaged in anal intercourse in the month prior to interview in 1988 and 39% in 1989 but only 28% in both waves. 12% engaged in 1989 but not in 1988. This group cannot be distinguished from the remainder of the cohort on knowledge of risk or perceived susceptibility. The main predictor of change is relationship status: specifically having a regular sexual relationship.

CONCLUSION: The lack of changes in attitude accompanying behaviour change suggests that the notion of 'relapse' is not widely applicable to this problem and that the change is better regarded as part of the process of relationship formation and sustenance.

Keywords: AEGIS, Homosexuality, Male, Bisexuality, Homosexuality, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Evaluation Studies, HIV-1, HIV Seroprevalence, Interviews, Impulsive Behavior, HIV, HIV Seropositivity, England, Wales, Human, Male, ICA7KWDaegis,homosexuality,male,bisexuality,homosexuality,hivinfections,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,evaluationstudies,hiv-1,hivseroprevalence,interviews,impulsivebehavior,hiv,hivseropositivity,england,wales,human,male,ica7
910616
WD52

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.