Perceptions of HIV risk among internet-using, HIV-negative barebacking men

Am J Mens Health. 2012 Jul;6(4):280-93. doi: 10.1177/1557988311434825. Epub 2012 Mar 7.

Abstract

The current study examines the risk perceptions of HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) who use the Internet to seek unprotected sex. The research questions include the following: How great do these men perceive their HIV risk to be? Are their perceptions based on HIV knowledge or related to their risk behaviors? What factors are associated with greater/lesser perceived risk? Results revealed that more than half of the men believed that they had no or only a slight chance of contracting HIV. Risk perceptions were not related to HIV knowledge or to involvement in HIV risk practices. Four factors were identified as being associated with greater perception of HIV risk: self-identity as a sexual "bottom," having sex while high, greater use of bareback-focused websites, and younger age. Internet-using HIV-negative men who have sex with men tend to underestimate their risk for acquiring HIV, and interventions need to help them accurately assess their risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Condoms / statistics & numerical data
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology*
  • Homosexuality, Male / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Internet*
  • Male
  • Men's Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Perception*
  • Program Development
  • Program Evaluation
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Statistics as Topic
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult