Support group participation, HIV viral load and sexual-risk behavior

Objective: To examine the impact of participation in community-based suppor t groups and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load on sexual behavi or among gay men. Methods: Using self-administered questionnaires, 46 serop ositive support-group participants and 20 seropositive comparison subjects were asked about viral load and frequency of unprotected anal intercourse i n 1996 and 1997 following the XI International Conference on AIDS. Results: Support group participants reported less unprotected receptive anal sex at follow-up than did comparison subjects. Overall, study participants with u ndetectable viral loads reported more unprotected anal intercourse at follo w-up than did participants with detectable viral loads. Conclusion: Among H IV-seropositive gay men, knowledge of an undetectable viral load may contri bute to high-risk sexual-risk behavior.