Henrique Pereira, Samuel Monteiro, Graca Esgalhado and Rosa Marina Afonso
Background: To determine the perceived prevalence (the response of known HIV diagnosis) and trends of HIV infection among mem who have sex with men (MSM) frequenting gay bathhouses; and (2) to identify the risk factors associated sexual practices.
Methods: A total of 424 MSM (Mean age 35.64, SD=10.05) recruited through informal social networks and the Internet participated in this study. Most participants were single and self-identified as gay (66.7%). Participants were asked to recall their sexual experiences while visiting a bathhouse for sexual purposes.
Results: 9.4% (n=40) of participants reported being HIV positive and approximately 14.5% (n=62) reported not knowing their status. MSM visited the bathhouses 1.76 times per month (SD=2.12) and involved themselves with 3 men (on average) per each visit. Statistically significant differences between having sex with or without a condom were found (p<0.001) reflect that risky behavior occurs (95% CI). Risk practices involving fluid exchange (condomless practices) were also reported. Ejaculation in the mouth was reported by 29.3% to 48.9% of all participants, and ejaculation in the anus was reported by 15.8% to 17.4% of all participants. Linear regression indicated that sex role, substance use, sexual orientation and number of monthly visits were predictors of sexual practices involving fluid exchange.
Conclusion: Results from this study show that HIV prevalence and HIV-related practices is high among MSM who use bathhouses to engage in sexual activity, and this can serve as a reference for researchers interested in these behavioral patterns and for local authorities aiming to promote health education among MSM.
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