HIV-SEROPOSITIVE MEN WHO ENGAGE IN HIGH-RISK SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR - PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PREVENTION

A minority of people who test HIV seropositive continue to engage in s exual behaviour that places their partners at high risk for HIV infect ion. However, little is known about factors that contribute to sexual risk behaviour among HIV-seropositive men. In this study, HIV-seroposi tive men participating in substance abuse support groups and HIV preve ntion programmes (n = 223) completed measures of demographic character istics, sexual behaviour history, sensation-seeking (the propensity to seek optimal stimulation), and sexual compulsivity (persistent sexual preoccupations). Twenty-six per cent of the sample reported having re cent multiple unprotected sexual intercourse partners. Across support group and prevention programme participants, men with multiple unprote cted partners reported greater sexual compulsivity than men with one o r no unprotected partners, but groups did not differ in terms of sensa tion-seeking. Results suggest that intensive therapeutic interventions are needed for a relatively small number of people who may contribute significantly to the HIV epidemic.