TY - JOUR
T1 - Sexual contexts and the process of risk reduction
AU - Braine, Naomi
AU - van Sluytman, Laurens
AU - Acker, Caroline
AU - Friedman, Sam
AU - Des Jarlais, Don C.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the men interviewed for this study, and the openness with which they shared their lives, experiences and thoughts with us. This study was funded by grant R21 DA022125 01 from the US National Institutes of Drug Abuse.
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Understanding the dynamics of sexual risks for HIV among men who have sex with men has been one of the ongoing challenges of HIV prevention. While the majority of HIVprevention interventions target individual behaviour and decision making, multiple studies point to the importance of social context in shaping risk behaviour. Analysis of qualitative data from a study of men who have sex with men, drug use and sex found that sexual encounters were made up multiple contextual and interpersonal elements, which interacted to shape sexual practices and risk reduction strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 racially diverse men who have sex with men in NYC, recruited from multiple venues. The majority of respondents were gay-identified and half were 40 or older. Respondents described risk assessment and risk-reduction processes that develop throughout a sexual encounter, embedded in ongoing negotiations of sexual practices. Strategies of risk assessment and reduction draw on probabilitybased approaches to HIV prevention, presenting a challenge to health education.
AB - Understanding the dynamics of sexual risks for HIV among men who have sex with men has been one of the ongoing challenges of HIV prevention. While the majority of HIVprevention interventions target individual behaviour and decision making, multiple studies point to the importance of social context in shaping risk behaviour. Analysis of qualitative data from a study of men who have sex with men, drug use and sex found that sexual encounters were made up multiple contextual and interpersonal elements, which interacted to shape sexual practices and risk reduction strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 racially diverse men who have sex with men in NYC, recruited from multiple venues. The majority of respondents were gay-identified and half were 40 or older. Respondents described risk assessment and risk-reduction processes that develop throughout a sexual encounter, embedded in ongoing negotiations of sexual practices. Strategies of risk assessment and reduction draw on probabilitybased approaches to HIV prevention, presenting a challenge to health education.
KW - Gay men
KW - HIV transmission
KW - Sexual risk
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U2 - 10.1080/13691058.2011.582688
DO - 10.1080/13691058.2011.582688
M3 - Article
C2 - 21656412
AN - SCOPUS:79960204756
SN - 1369-1058
VL - 13
SP - 797
EP - 814
JO - Culture, Health and Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health and Sexuality
IS - 7
ER -