Condom Use During Most Recent Anal Intercourse Event Among a U.S. Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men

The researchers set out to determine the demographic and event-specific situational factors associated with condom use during the most recent penile-anal intercourse (PAI) event among MSM. They noted that recent nationally representative data on event-level condom use have included samples that are predominantly heterosexual, yielding limited information on condom use rates for PAI among MSM.

An Internet survey collected data from 14,750 MSM (ages 18-87) in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The main outcome measures included factors related to sociodemographics, recent sexual behavior history, event characteristics, use of condoms and items associated with ejaculation during the encounter.

Most of the men (85.3 percent) identified as homosexual. Their median age was 39; 83.2 percent were white; 7.2 percent were Latino; and 3.9 percent were African-American.

Among the men, only 2.5 percent reported that their most recent PAI involved ejaculation without a condom in their anus or their partner's anus. Age, race/ethnicity, partner status, and location of the sexual event (all P=0.001) were found to be significantly related to the likelihood of condom use during the most recent PAI with a man.

"This study provides a large-scale assessment of condom use during the most recent PAI among MSM in the United States," the authors concluded. "Findings from this study highlight diversity in condom use behaviors and demonstrate varying degrees of potential risk for [HIV] and other [STIs]. Future prevention efforts should consider contextual components of condom use, including partner type, location of the sexual event and semen exposure, to more accurately develop individualized risk reduction strategies."

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