Posted on 04/01/2002 4:57:34 PM PST by Pharmboy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Intentional anal sex without a condom--termed "barebacking"--is a relatively common practice among gay and bisexual men, researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) (CDC) report.
A key aspect of barebacking, according to the report, is the intent to engage in unprotected anal sex with someone other than a primary partner.
In the study, the investigators found that 70% of gay or bisexual men interviewed were familiar with the term "barebacking." Of this group, 14% reported that they had barebacked at least once during the past 2 years.
"Intentional unprotected anal sex with non-primary partners is a health concern for gay communities because of the risk of transmitting HIV (news - web sites) or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to uninfected men, including treatment-resistant strains, and the potential risk of superinfection in HIV-positive men," according to lead author Dr. Gordon Mansergh and colleagues from the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia.
The results of their investigation, which involved interviews with 554 gay or bisexual men living in San Francisco, were published in the March issue of the journal AIDS (news - web sites).
All of the men were asked about their HIV status and, if they practiced barebacking, why they did so.
Of the men who reported barebacking in the previous 2 years, 22% said they were HIV positive and 10% identified themselves as HIV negative.
"The reason most frequently cited for barebacking was to experience greater physical stimulation; feeling emotionally connected with a partner was also a relatively common reason," the authors write.
There were no differences in the prevalence of barebacking by race or ethnicity, education or income, the report indicates.
Mansergh and colleagues call for new health promotion strategies to reach men who bareback, noting that some HIV-negative men are intentionally putting themselves at risk, while some HIV-positive men are intentionally putting themselves and others at risk for HIV and other STDs.
"Researchers, practitioners and community members should work together and consider holistic health and wellness lifestyle approaches that take multiple human needs into account, particularly for men who bareback," they conclude.
"Barebacking sounds very provocative but all it really is, is unsafe sex," said Marty Algaze, a spokesperson for Gay Men's Health Crisis, a not-for-profit group based in New York City.
"Gay men, especially younger men, who may not have lost any friends to the disease still need to be reminded that even though it may feel emotionally and physically better to have unprotected anal sex, there is no cure for AIDS," Algaze added.
"Anti-HIV drugs are no panacea," Algaze stated, "and many can experience very serious side effects from the drugs."
SOURCE: AIDS 2002;16:653-659.
Geez, has the CDC created a new name for it? Is it now "primary partner," whereas before it was "life partner?" Maybe it could be "part-time life partner" or "temporary partner" or "gay bar bathroom partner" or "gay bathhouse partner" or whatever. Do taxpayers still have to pay for health insurance? What is the criteria for "life partner?" How long?
This is so funny. I hope the CDC is totally discredited for their asinine pandering to politics rather than focusing on public health.
A safe, stable, loving home for adopted children? I think NOT!
Well, you are right, I suppose. But, you are still proposing a physiologic equality between hetero- vs homo- sex. However, the other statistic that the CDC hides (to maintain their P.C. stance) is that HIV is most easily transmitted when blood is exchanged. This occurs readily when the friable rectal tissue is torn during intercourse - meaning that rectal intercourse makes one more susceptible, whether between 2 males or between a male and female. Vaginas are tough, elastic organs that do NOT normally bleed during intercourse (STD's make a person more likely to contract HIV - this is why). Rectums are lined with vascular, easily torn tissue the does bleed easily. Do you get my point? CDC does not want to seem to "discriminate" in this issue.
The only cause of death that I can imagine being higher would be car accidents.
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I am not proposing any such thing. I have been saying here for four years that homosexuality is primarily a serious mental of several types. I've said it elsewhere. However, given the urges of the moment, no matter how distorted, use of condoms is a coarse unromantic unaesthetic interruption that people do not engage in. When I see a movie featuring Angelique Jolie it does not provoke fantasies of going down to the drug store for a gross of condoms.
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