Correlates of Risk Patterns and Race/Ethnicity among HIV-Positive Men who have Sex with Men

Abstract

Behaviors related to HIV infection vary by race, with African American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) more likely to report sex with women than are European–American MSM. The epidemic among African Americans, in particular, is growing rapidly among both men and women. Some have hypothesized that bisexually active men may be contributing to the epidemic among women. However, little is known about risk patterns among men of different races who are already infected. In this study of 456 HIV-seropositive MSM we found that, like HIV-negative MSM, African American MSM who are HIV-positive were less likely than European American men to identify as gay, more likely to report sex with women, and less comfortable discussing their MSM behavior with close friends and acquaintances. African American participants also exhibited higher levels of internalized homophobia, as well as lower self-efficacy for disclosing their HIV status to sex partners. Implications for interventions for this population are discussed.