AIDS KNOWLEDGE AND SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR AMONG MEXICAN GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN

Little knowledge exists about AIDS and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (H IV) infection among Latin American gay males. In Latin America, sexual transmission from man to man is the leading cause of HIV infection. I n Mexico, which ranks third in number of AIDS cases in the Americas, m ore than three-quarters of the cases are due to sexual transmission; a mong these cases, 35% and 23.7% are due to homosexual and bisexual mal e practices, respectively. A sample of 200 individuals from Juarez, Me xico, a city on the U.S. border, was interviewed. Information about th eir AIDS knowledge, sexual behavior, and condom use was obtained. Fact ory workers and individuals who meet sexual partners in the streets re ported more sexual partners than workers in service or professional oc cupations and those who meet their partners in bars and discos. Number of sexual partners and respondents' age were inversely associated wit h condom use. Implications for HIV prevention are discussed.