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Differential HIV Risk Behavior among Men who have Sex with Men Seeking Health-Related Mobile Van Services at Diverse Gay-Specific Venues

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Abstract

Distinguishing between gay venues may provide important information to better understand patterns of environmental influence and HIV/STI behavioral risk among MSM. Massachusetts MSM accessing State Health Department mobile van services (n = 214) at Gay Pride events, bars/clubs, and private safer sex parties completed a one-time, cross-sectional survey via ACASI. In the past 12 months, private safer sex party attendees reported a higher mean number of anonymous partners, were more likely to report meeting sex partners via the Internet, and were more likely to report sex while drunk; in logistic regression analyses, they were less likely to report both unprotected insertive and receptive anal sex in the past year relative to men from other venues. Private safer sex parties may represent a strategy used by some MSM to reduce HIV/STI risk. Differentiating risk behavior by venue type provides valuable information with which to effectively target interventions to reach MSM at greatest risk.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a research grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health awarded to Dr. Matthew Mimiaga. We would like to thank the Massachusetts Department of Public Health HIV/AIDS Bureau, The Bureau of Substance Abuse Services and the Crystal Meth Partnership Initiative for reviewing the study protocol and instrument. We would also like to thank the staff of the HIV Innovations/Project Health MOVES team and collaborating partners at Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Science School of Nursing who made this study possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Community Health, 7 Haviland Street, Boston, MA, 02115-2683, USA

    Sari L. Reisner, Matthew J. Mimiaga, Margie Skeer, Rodney VanDerwarker & Steven A. Safren

  2. Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Matthew J. Mimiaga & Steven A. Safren

  3. School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

    Margie Skeer

  4. Massachusetts Department of Public Health, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Boston, MA, USA

    Michael J. Gaucher

  5. Bouvé College of Health Science, School of Nursing, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Catherine A. O’Connor

  6. HIV Innovations, Project Health MOVES, Boston, MA, USA

    M. Susana Medeiros

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  1. Sari L. Reisner
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  2. Matthew J. Mimiaga
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  3. Margie Skeer
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  4. Rodney VanDerwarker
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  7. M. Susana Medeiros
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  8. Steven A. Safren
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Correspondence to Sari L. Reisner.

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Reisner, S.L., Mimiaga, M.J., Skeer, M. et al. Differential HIV Risk Behavior among Men who have Sex with Men Seeking Health-Related Mobile Van Services at Diverse Gay-Specific Venues. AIDS Behav 13, 822–831 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9430-0

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