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  • Title: AIDS knowledge and sexual behavior among Mexican gay and bisexual men.
    Author: Ramirez J, Suarez E, de la Rosa G, Castro MA, Zimmerman MA.
    Journal: AIDS Educ Prev; 1994 Apr; 6(2):163-74. PubMed ID: 8018440.
    Abstract:
    Little knowledge exists about AIDS and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among Latin American gay males. In Latin America, sexual transmission from man to man is the leading cause of HIV infection. In Mexico, which ranks third in number of AIDS cases in the Americas, more than three-quarters of the cases are due to sexual transmission; among these cases, 35% and 23.7% are due to homosexual and bisexual male practices, respectively. A sample of 200 individuals from Juarez, Mexico, a city on the U.S. border, was interviewed. Information about their AIDS knowledge, sexual behavior, and condom use was obtained. Factory workers and individuals who meet sexual partners in the streets reported more sexual partners than workers in service or professional occupations and those who meet their partners in bars and discos. Number of sexual partners and respondents' age were inversely associated with condom use. Implications for HIV prevention are discussed. Two hundred gay and bisexual men of mean age 26.4 years from Juarez, Mexico, were interviewed by the Mexican Federation of PRivate Associations for Community Development (FEMAP) about their AIDS knowledge, sexual behavior, and condom use. 88% were single and never married. 66% self-identified as being gay, 29% as bisexual, and 2% as transvestites; 10% reported having sex for money. 14% had had at least one sexually transmitted disease and 57% were negative about condom use. Having an average 4.46 sex partner/month, most respondents were knowledgeable about HIV transmission routes, AIDS symptoms, and HIV antibody tests. 75% and 77.5%, respectively, reported practicing receptive anal intercourse and insertive anal intercourse. They used condoms an average of 6.47 times in their most recent ten sexual encounters. By profession and social behavior, factory workers and individuals who recruit sex partners from the street reported having more sex partners than service and professional workers and those who meet their partners in bars and discos. Further, the number of sex partners and respondents' age were inversely associated with condom use. These findings clearly highlight the failure of knowledge about HIV to bring about change in sexual behavior among certain subpopulations in the study area. Since homosexuality remains unaccepted in Mexican society, the author suggests targeted peer education and small-group session prevention efforts which do not confront mainstream social structure and values.
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