Objective To find out characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection related behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Shanghai and related influencing factors.
Methods A total of 121 MSM were recruited through internet and interviewed face to face using questionnaires designed by Sino-Canada Global Research.
Results The interviewees were at the average age of (27.99& #177;5.933) years; 74.4% of them received college or above education; 62.9% earned more than 3000 yuan per month; 86.0% were single. The average age at first sex with men was (22.14& #177;5.32) years; the average number of sexual partners within the past six months was 3.27& #177;2.77. The interviewees who had long-term relations accounted for 56.14%, but only 36.84% were loyal to the relations; 16 interviewees had sexual behaviours with female partners within the past six months, among which 62.8% were unprotected; 45.45% interviewees had unprotected sexual behaviours with male partners, and their percentage of unprotected sexual behaviours in long-term relations was significantly higher than that with irregular sexual partners (χ2=4.32, P < 0.05) and occasional sexual partner (χ2=10.13, P < 0.01); 77.7% interviewees believed they were at the risk of HIV infection. The factors influencing unprotected sexual behaviours were education level, number of sexual partners within the past six months and self-evaluation of HIV infection.
Conclusion The MSM who have less education and more sexual partners are more likely to have unprotected sexual behaviours, and those with self-evaluation of HIV infection tend to have a history of unprotected sexual behaviours. Enhanced health interventions are therefore imperative to be delivered to these MSM.
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