Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/51741
Title: How partnership type and HIV seroconcordance affect HIV transmission risk in regular sexual partnerships: a cross-sectional survey of Australian gay and bisexual men
Contributor(s): Bavinton, Benjamin R (author); Grulich, Andrew E (author); Duncan, Duane  (author)orcid ; Zablotska, Iryna B (author); Prestage, Garrett P (author)
Publication Date: 2017-11
Early Online Version: 2017-06-22
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1071/SH16198Open Access Link
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/51741
Abstract: 

Background: Regular sexual partnerships among gay and bisexual men (GBM) who practice condomless anal intercourse (CLAI) have not been well characterised in terms of partnership type, HIV seroconcordance and risk of HIV transmission. Primarily sexual regular partnerships, although commonly reported by gay men, have largely been ignored in research and HIV prevention. Among regular partners reporting CLAI with each other, we determined factors differentiating romantic or committed relationships from partnerships organised primarily around sex (‘fuckbuddies’) and estimated the proportion of CLAI presenting risk for HIV transmission. Methods: An online, cross-sectional survey of Australian GBM was conducted. Univariate and multivariate generalised estimating equations were used to determine statistical associations. Results: Men reported on 2250 regular sexual partnerships. Over half the partnerships were romantic or committed relationships. Over half the partnerships were HIV-negative seroconcordant (54.9%), 3.1% were HIV-positive seroconcordant, 5.2% were serodiscordant and 36.8% were of unknown seroconcordance. Potential risks presented by CLAI were sometimes mitigated by protective factors, such as having a clear spoken agreement about sex with outside partners, having fewer outside partners, openly discussing HIV risk and having an agreement to reduce risk from outside partners. These protective factors were more often found in romantic or committed relationships than among primarily sexual partnerships, and were less often found in partnerships of unknown seroconcordance. Conclusion: CLAI is more common among regular sexual partnerships considered to be of a romantic, committed nature. However, factors associated with such romantic or committed partnerships can also protect against HIV transmission risk. Unknown seroconcordance, particularly lack of communication about HIV status among primarily sexual partnerships, is a key risk factor that needs to be addressed by HIV education.

Publication Type: Journal Article
Grant Details: NHMRC/APP602518
Source of Publication: Sexual Health, 14(6), p. 523-532
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Place of Publication: Australia
ISSN: 1449-8987
1448-5028
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 441010 Sociology of gender
440506 Sexualities
420699 Public health not elsewhere classified
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 139999 Other culture and society not elsewhere classified
200401 Behaviour and health
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

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