Abstract
Between 1998 and 2007, 51,449 Gay Community Periodic Survey questionnaires were completed in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia. These included 23,424 where the respondents reported currently being in a relationship with a regular male partner. About 90% of men with a regular partner had been tested for HIV, and about three quarters had tested HIV-negative. Between 1998 and 2007 there was an increase in the proportion of men in HIV-negative seroconcordant relationships. About three quarters of men with a regular partner had negotiated an agreement about sex within their relationship. There was little change over time in the likelihood of having negotiated such agreements. There were, however, changes over time in the nature of these negotiated agreements: Over time, more men in HIV-discordant relationships permitted unprotected anal intercourse with their regular partners (P-trend < .001); among men in HIV-negative concordant relationships, an increasing proportion required a monogamous arrangement with their regular partner (P-trend < .001); and over time, fewer men in general required consistent condom use with casual partners (P-trend < .001). Some of these changes in negotiated agreements represent an increase in the potential risk of HIV transmission.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the AIDS Council of New South Wales, PLWHA (NSW), the Victorian AIDS Council, PLWHA (Victoria), Queensland Association of Healthy Communities, Queensland Positive People for collaboration with the project, and the men who have participated in the Gay Community Periodic Surveys over the years. The National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, and the National Centre in HIV Social Research, are funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. Sponsorship: Supported by the New South Wales Health Department (Sydney), Victorian Health Department (Melbourne), Queensland Health Department (Brisbane).
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Prestage, G., Jin, F., Zablotska, I. et al. Trends in Agreements Between Regular Partners Among Gay Men in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia. AIDS Behav 12, 513–520 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9351-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9351-3