Background: To analyze high-risk sexual behavior as regards HIV, the use of preventive measures and the patient-reported prevalence of HIV infections among males belonging to one of the leading homosexual associations in the Region of Madrid.
Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 1997-1998 by way of mailed anonymous questionnaires. An analysis is made of the sociodemographic characteristics, how often condoms are used for different types of sexual intercourse with regular or casual partners, patient-reported prevalence of HIV and other related aspects.
Results: 157 questionnaires were returned by gay/bisexual males. These subjects averaged 32 years of age, 85% having a high school or college education, over the past 3 months, 56% had had intercourse with more than one man; 70.6% practiced insertive anal intercourse with a regular partner and 57.4% with casual partners, solely 32.5% and 61.1% of whom always used a condom. 69.7% had receptive anal intercourse with a regular partner and 39.4% with casual partners, 35.5% and 78.4% of whom respectively always used a condom. 86.6% had oral-genital intercourse, less than 10% having always used a condom. 137 were aware of their serological condition, and 15.2% were HIV positive. 10% had had some STD at some point during the previous year.
Conclusions: A major percentage of those surveyed were involved in high-risk practices (several partners and unprotected high-risk sexual intercourse) which, in conjunction with the major prevalence of infection, can be said to be the same as a major seroconversion rate.