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Cruising Venues as a Context for HIV Risky Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

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Abstract

We examined differences in sexual risk behaviors, HIV prevalence, and demographic characteristics between men who have sex with men (MSM) who visit different types of venues to meet sexual partners, and identified correlates of high-risk behaviors. A cross-sectional behavioral survey was conducted with a venue-based sample of 1011 MSM in Portugal. Overall, 36.3 % of MSM usually visit cruising venues to meet sexual partners (63.7 % only visit social gay venues). Cruising venues’ visitors reported higher HIV prevalence (14.6 % [95 % CI 11–18 %] vs. 5.5 % [95 % CI 4–7 %]). Visiting cruising venues was more likely among those older, reporting high number of male sexual partners, group sex, and unprotected anal sex with a partner whose HIV status was unknown. Cruising venues play an important role in increasing risk of HIV transmission among MSM who frequent them. Venue-focused behavioral interventions that promote healthy sexual behaviors are needed.

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Acknowledgments

The study was partially financed by the ADIS/SIDA Program from the National Program for the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Infection. AG has a PhD grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/84259/2012). The authors would like to thank the project team members Daniel Simões, Gabriela Cohen, Inês Rego, Ricardo Fernandes, Ricardo Fuertes, Ricardo Rosa and Sara Trindade. The authors are also very grateful to all the community partners of the project. The authors thank all the participants of this study. Finally, the project team is thankful to GHTM—UID/Multi/04413/2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, n. 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal

    Ana Gama, Ana Abecasis, Marta Pingarilho, Maria O. Martins & Sónia Dias

  2. Grupo Português de Ativistas sobre Tratamentos de VIH/SIDA, Lisbon, Portugal

    Luís Mendão

  3. Institute of Public Health of University of Porto, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal

    Henrique Barros

Authors
  1. Ana Gama
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  2. Ana Abecasis
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  3. Marta Pingarilho
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  4. Luís Mendão
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  5. Maria O. Martins
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  6. Henrique Barros
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  7. Sónia Dias
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Gama.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in this study.

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Gama, A., Abecasis, A., Pingarilho, M. et al. Cruising Venues as a Context for HIV Risky Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men. Arch Sex Behav 46, 1061–1068 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0707-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0707-5

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