Self-reported sexual behaviour and HIV risk taking among men who have sex with men in Fortaleza, Brazil

Objectives: To describe and identify sociodemographic and behavioural chara cteristics and other factors related to high-risk behaviour for HIV infecti on of men who have sex with men (MSM) living in Fortaleza, Brazil. Methods: A survey was carried out among 400 MSM aged 14-65 years and recrui ted through the snowball technique or in gay-identified venues. A semistruc tured questionnaire was conducted among them. Logistic regression analysis was used to model the dichotomous outcome (high risk or low risk). Results: Forty-Four per cent of the participants reported engaging in high- risk sexual behaviour in the previous year. MSM less informed about AIDS, r eporting more sexual partners, reporting at least one female partner in the previous year, having anal sex as the favourite way to have sex, and havin g great enjoyment of unprotected anal sex were more likely to be engaged in risky behaviour. Twenty-three per cent of participants reported at least o ne sexual contact with women during the previous year. Two-thirds of men wh o had unprotected sex with their female partners also had unprotected anal sex with their male partners. Conclusions: A large proportion of MSM in Fortaleza still remain at elevate d risk For contracting HIV infection. The factors predictive of high-risk s exual behaviour are significant in spreading HIV infection among the MSM po pulation and also among their female partners. The lifestyles of these men are different to those of men from other parts of Brazil or outside the cou ntry. Preventive interventions need to be culturally and socially specific in order to be effective. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.