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from Medical Issues
Risky Sex Still A Problem Among Gay Males
CDC study shows failure of safe sex message among gay men.
October 22, 2007 - A CDC-funded study of gay males and HIV began in 2003 and the results were published in 2006 in the journal AIDS Behavior.
CDC funded researchers in 15 cities to pay 1,100 gay males $25 each to describe how they engaged in sex with other males. The investigators interviewed these men outside of gay bars, nightclubs, bookstores and other places where gays congregate.
The study questioners asked if these gays engaged in unprotected anal sex. One fourth of the men admitted having had unprotected sex with a "non-main" partner during the previous 12 months. These men tended to be white, older and high on drugs or drunk during their last encounter. They admitted knowing they were HIV-infected but engaged in unprotected sex anyway.
Linda Klepacki, R.N., MPH is an analyst for sexual health at Focus on the Family. She questions why yet another study is needed to discover what researchers already know. "We have known for years and years that this epidemic in the United States is almost exclusively among gay males. This is no surprise. We know that, if they are going to continue their behaviors, the only chance they have is to use condoms. We have had that message for close to 20 years now. Why do we have to use tax dollars to conduct studies in 14 cities or 25 cities when we know this information?"
Shepherd Smith, president of the Institute for Youth Development believes it would be much more profitable for the CDC to aggressively pursue partner notification. "Partner notification is standard with all communicable diseases ..."
The United States allocated $23.4 billion in FY 2007 for fighting HIV/AIDS worldwide. Of that, $14 billion was set aside for domestic use. More than half of the money spent on AIDS each year is for care of AIDS patients through Medicaid and Medicare. Eleven percent goes to research, according to CNSNews.com.
Additional Reading: Medical Issues.
Updated: 8 February 2008
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