Sexual practices and HIV risk perception among men who have sex with men in Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate sexual practices and HIV risk perception among MSM, identifying associated risk factors and determinants. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 144 MSM in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using the snowball sampling technique. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling and underwent rapid HIV testing, in addition to completing questionnaires on sexual practices, risk perception, and illicit drug use. Results: The majority of participants showed an unsatisfactory perception of HIV risk. Factors associated with this perception include non-penetrative sex as an HIV preventive measure, which increased the chances of having an unsatisfactory risk perception by 1.45 times (P =.04), engaging with known HIV-positive individuals without knowledge of their viral load (ORa = 2.70; P =.043), and using illicit drugs before/during sex (ORa = 0.29; P =.048). Conclusions: The results indicate a high prevalence of risky sexual practices and an unsatisfactory HIV risk perception among the MSM studied.