SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR OF GAY AND BISEXUAL MED IN 8 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

To compare the sexual behaviour and HIV risk reduction strategies of g ay and bisexual men in Europe, a survey, disseminated via the gay pres s and gay associations, was conducted amongst gay and bisexual men in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy a nd the Netherlands during the autumn and winter of 1991. By end March of 1992, 12,347 completed questionnaires had been obtained. A prelimin ary analysis shows striking similarities in patterns of sexual behavio ur of gay men in the 8 European countries but indicates that strategie s of risk management concerning HIV and AIDS vary widely. While the ma jority of gay men have multiple partners, and intercourse is more comm on with stable partners than with casual partners. The proportion of m en who, during the past 12 months, engaged in unprotected anal interco urse with a partner with different or unknown HIV-status ranged from 1 /3 in East Germany to 1/6 in UK. However, reported incidence over the past 12 months of STDs, other than HIV infection, was similar in all c ountries (2%-3%). The reported HIV antibody prevalence varied from les s than 7% in East Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom to 15% in Denm ark and 17% in France. HIV risk reduction strategies appear to be most common in those countries where the gay community had been included i n targeted prevention campaigns during the early phase of the AIDS epi demic. Considering the high proportion of gay men engaging in high ris k activities it is imperative that prevention efforts are sustained an d improved.