ANAL INTERCOURSE AND DISCLOSURE OF HIV-INFECTION AMONG SEROPOSITIVE GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected gay and bisexual men (n = 609) randomly selected from two HIV outpatient clinics in Los Angeles completed confidential, self-administered questionnaires at the clinic s, reporting sexual activities and disclosure during the previous 2 mo nths. Approximately 9% had engaged in unprotected insertive anal inter course with one or more partners. This activity was 3.27 times more li kely to have occurred with seropositive partners than with partners wh o were seronegative or whose serostatus was unknown. Fourteen men (2.3 % of total sample) had engaged in unprotected insertive anal sex with 25 seronegative or unknown serostatus partners who were not informed o f their risk of infection. Thirty-three men (5.4% of total sample) had engaged in this activity with 37 seropositive partners who were infor med. Clinicians and other health professionals can play an important r ole in helping to control the HIV epidemic by discussing with seroposi tive patients the importance of using safer sex and informing sexual p artners. Such discussion should include information about the potentia lly negative health effects of unprotected sex between seropositive pe rsons.