AEGiS-14IAC: Dipping is a problem among HIV-Positive (HIV+) men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV-negative (HIV-) and unknown status (HIV?) partners.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Dipping is a problem among HIV-Positive (HIV+) men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV-negative (HIV-) and unknown status (HIV?) partners.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. TuOrD1196)

Hoff CC, Faigeles B, Wolitski R, Purcell D, Gomez C, Parsons J
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States

BACKGROUND: Studies among serodiscordant heterosexual couples report that many of those who report using condoms 100% of the time also engage in "dipping". "Dipping" is defined as one or two very brief acts of unprotected penetrative intercourse that does not culminate in ejaculation often considered "play" or "teasing". HIV can be transmitted during unprotected anal intercourse even when only pre-ejaculate is present. Some MSM engage in "dipping" and may not include this behavior when reporting acts of unprotected anal intercourse.

METHODS: Data are from HIV+ MSM participating in the Seropositive Urban Men's Intervention Trial (n = 1164) conducted in New York and San Francisco. Participants who reported that they had an HIV- or HIV? sexual partner in the past 3 months were included in the analysis (n = 858). Participants were asked, in addition to standard sexual behavior questions, "Were there times that you 'dipped' a partner that you did not count in the question you just answered?" Two logistic regression models identified demographic and behavioral factors related to insertive and receptive "dipping".

RESULTS: 29% of HIV+ MSM reported "dipping" (18% insertive and 20% receptive) with an HIV-negative or HIV? partner. 100% of insertive "dippers" versus 21% of "non-dippers" reported engaging in insertive unprotected anal intercourse with an HIV- or HIV? partner (p < .001). Similarly, 100% of receptive "dippers" versus 30% of "non-dippers" reported receptive unprotected anal intercourse with HIV- or HIV? partner (p < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that insertive and receptive "dippers" were more likely to be Latino (p<.01 and p<.02 respectively), and poly-substance users (p<.02 and p<.01 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: "Dipping" is a prelude to unprotected anal sex and should be discouraged. Studies relying on standard sexual behavior questions are likely under reporting the frequency of unprotected anal sex and possibly number of partners.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, Safe Sex, HIV Seropositivity, Sex Behavior, Coitus, Sexual Partners, Condoms, Logistic Models, San Francisco, New York, Human, Male

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TuOrD1196