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Correlates of Unprotected Anal Sex at Last Sexual Episode: Analysis from a Surveillance Study of Men who have Sex with Men in Montreal

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Abstract

Recent increases in rates of unprotected anal sex (UAS) among men who have sex with men (MSM) signal the need to continually refine our understanding of factors associated with risky sexual behavior. Data were collected using a questionnaire eliciting information about the last sexual episode (LSE) with another man in the past 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify both event-level and background correlates of UAS at LSE. 965 participants who reported having sex with a partner with whom they were not in a couple relationship at LSE were studied. Several event-level variables were significantly associated with UAS after adjusting for background factors, including finding the partner at LSE sexually attractive and using alcohol or cocaine at LSE. Our findings parallel the results of other HIV prevention studies which have highlighted the importance of interpersonal factors that influence risk-taking at the moment of a sexual act among MSM.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of other members of the research team, René Lavoie and Dr. Jean Vincelette as well as members of the M-Track Study Group of the Center for infectious disease prevention and control of the Public Health Agency of Canada (Dr. Chris Archibald, Dr. John Kim, Dr. Paul Sandstrom, Dana Paquette, and Rhonda Kropp). Also, we would like to recognize the work of the study operations team who coordinated subject recruitment and data collection: François Tremblay, Marc-André Gadoury, and the team of interviewers. This study received financial and in-kind support from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec and the Direction de santé publique de l’Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Direction de santé publique de Montréal, Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, 1301 Sherbrooke est, Montreal, QC, H2L 1M3, Canada

    G. Lambert, J. Cox, C. Tremblay & L. R. Frigault

  2. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, QC, Canada

    G. Lambert, J. Cox & M. Alary

  3. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    G. Lambert

  4. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    J. Cox & T. S. Hottes

  5. British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    T. S. Hottes

  6. Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Quebec, QC, Canada

    M. Alary

  7. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada

    M. Alary

  8. Chaire de recherche du Canada en éducation à la santé, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    J. Otis

  9. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    R. S. Remis

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  1. G. Lambert
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Correspondence to G. Lambert.

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Lambert, G., Cox, J., Hottes, T.S. et al. Correlates of Unprotected Anal Sex at Last Sexual Episode: Analysis from a Surveillance Study of Men who have Sex with Men in Montreal. AIDS Behav 15, 584–595 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9605-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9605-3

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