The number of gay men in Scotland having unprotected sex has almost doubled over six years, a study says.At the same time, unfounded confidence in the HIV negative status of casual partners has also increased, Sexually Transmitted Infections journal says.
The findings, which reflect trends seen in other UK areas, are based on surveys of 6,500 men in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
In 1996, 11% of those surveyed said they had unprotected anal sex - in 2002 the figure was 19%. Levels of this "risky sex" with casual or multiple partners also increased. There was also a significant increase in men reporting they "knew" their casual partners' HIV status, despite no increase in HIV testing among the men who reported having unprotected anal intercourse with casual partners.
The likelihood of unprotected sex with casual partners was greater among those men who said they visited gay bars frequently and those who agreed with the statement: "I am less worried about HIV infection now that treatments have improved."
These trends are not limited to the two cities studied, said the report authors.
Professor Graham Hart and Lisa Williamson, of the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at Glasgow University, said gay men in other UK cities were similarly becoming more blase about practising safe sex.
Professor Hart said: "The concern is that whilst there has been marvellous news about the impact of antiretroviral treatments in keeping people alive, there has perhaps become a sense that safe sex is not as important as it was."
from BBC News
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