Sexual Health

Let's be honest: we've got sex on the brain. At HIM, we think that an active sex life is a big part of healthy living. Whether you're having sex with a partner, with a friend or by yourself, this section provides resources, articles and information about how you can maintain a fulfilling and healthy sex life. For clinic locations and hours, click here.

A Thing or Two About HIV Research-January

Posted by HIM on Thursday January 20th, 2011

A thing or two about HIV Research-January

Studies constantly grant new insights into understanding transmission and treatment of HIV. These are a few recent conclusions reached by North American studies:

Factors associated with not getting tested for HIV included being African-American, homeless, "out" to 50% or fewer people about male-male sex, and having only one sex partner in the past 6 months. These people often didn't identify as being a part of the MSM community, did not recognize that they were at a high risk for HIV, and did not feel a responsibility to themselves or others to disclose their HIV status.

(Source:Nelson, K. M. et al. JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, Volume: 87, Issue: 4, p.642-655)

Gay guys who recently became positive, have other STIs, or have a high viral load are more likely to transmit HIV. This is reduced if they are properly taking HAART medication.

(Source: Fisher, M. et al. AIDS, Volume: 24 Issue: 11 Pages: 1739-1747)

The degree that sexual compulsion impacts your life and relationships can have associations with the kinds of sexual activities and fetishes a person partakes in. These activities and fetishes carry with them different degrees of risk for transmission.

(Source: Grov, C., et al. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, Volume: 39 Issue: 4 Pages: 940-949)

Stressful or traumatic events in life are statistically linked to having unprotected anal sex. Gay guys that are positive, victims of traumatic events, and employ escape or avoidance coping are more likely to casually engage in unprotected anal sex. Sometimes unprotected anal sex is used as a coping method with stressful life events.

(Source: Martin, JI et al. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY Volume: 80 Issue: 3 Pages: 293-301 Published: JUL 2010)

Gay and bisexual men who experience stressful life events were more likely to engage in high risk behaviour.

(Source: Burchell, A.N., et al. AIDS Volume: 14 Pages: 136-146 Supplement: Suppl. 1 Published: AUG 2010)

Gay guys who think they are dependent upon multiple substances are more likely to be engaged in sexual activities that carry an increased risk of acquiring HIV and other STIs.

(Source: Mackesy-Amiti, M.E., et al. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE Volume: 110 Issue: 1-2 Pages: 38-43)