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How do gay men diagnosed with HIV change their risk behaviour?
Gus Cairns, 2016-05-02 09:30:00

To what extent do gay men modify their sexual risk behaviour after testing HIV positive? Two Australian surveys conducted over the last few years have found that in the immediate aftermath of diagnosis, gay men considerably reduce the number of partners they have sex with – many stopping sexual activity altogether – and also reduce the amount of condomless sex they have with partners of unknown HIV status. There was also an increase in HIV status disclosure.

None of these changes might be regarded as particularly surprising and this piece of research cannot determine whether these changes are sustained. What was more interesting was that the only factor that was associated with a higher likelihood of such reductions in HIV risk behaviour was peer support from other men with HIV (and not from anyone else).

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