A comparison of a high risk sexual behaviour and HIV testing amongst a bar-going sample of homosexual men in London and Edinburgh

Nardone, A., Frankis, J., Dodds, J.P., Flowers, P., Mercey, D. and Hart, G. (2001) A comparison of a high risk sexual behaviour and HIV testing amongst a bar-going sample of homosexual men in London and Edinburgh. European Journal of Public Health, 11(2), pp. 185-189. (doi: 10.1093/eurpub/11.2.185)

Abstract

Background: This study compared high-risk sexual and HIV testing behaviour amongst homosexual men recruited from gay bars in London and Edinburgh. Methods: A cross-sectional survey monitoring high-risk sexual and HIV testing behaviour using a self-completed questionnaire was conducted in November and December 1996. Results: Two thousand, three hundred and ninety-seven questionnaires were returned (1,366 recruited in London and 1,031 in Edinburgh), with a response rate of 77%. A larger proportion of men surveyed in London had had unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with one or more male partners in the previous year (35%) than in Edinburgh (30%). Men recruited in Edinburgh were less likely to have had an HIV test (54%) than men in London (63%). In both surveys, 25% of men who reported UAI with partners of the same HIV status as themselves also reported never having had an HIV test. Conclusions: The observed dissimilarities in the HIV epidemic in the two cities may be accounted for by the differences in self-reported high-risk sexual and HIV testing behaviours between the two populations. A large proportion of men in both cities continue to engage in high-risk sexual behaviour suggesting continued transmission of HIV in these populations. Thus, there is a continued need for innovative and relevant health promotion amongst homosexual men in the UK.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hart, Prof Graham and Flowers, Professor Paul
• Authors: Nardone, A., Frankis, J., Dodds, J.P., Flowers, P., Mercey, D., and Hart, G.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Centre for Population and Health Sciences
• Journal Name: European Journal of Public Health
• ISSN: 1101-1262