Sexual risk behaviors of Gay, Lesbian, and bisexual youths in new York City: prevalence and correlates
Rosario, M.; Meyer-Bahlburg, H.F.; Hunter, J.; Gwadz, M.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education 11(6): 476-496
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 10693645 Document Number: 525998
This study examined the lifetime and HIV-related risk behaviors of 156 gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths recruited from gay-focused organizations in New York City. Seven risk behaviors for HIV infection were identified, all of which involved sexual issues. These included 1) sex initiated during adolescence; 2) older sexual partners; 3) HIV barrier methods adopted subsequent to sexual debut; 4) many lifetime sexual partners and encounters; 5) sex for goods; 6) one partner at risk for HIV; and 7) unprotected sex during the past 3 months. The gender differences, which emerged, highlighted the elevated risk associated with having male partners, irrespective of the youth's gender. In addition, recent sexual risk behaviors were related significantly to the average degree of emotional involvement in or average duration of intimate relationships of the youths. These findings indicate that HIV preventive interventions must address relationship characteristics and that there is a need to deliver HIV preventive interventions to gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths as early as the beginning of adolescence.