Funding Source and Project Period: HIV Center Pilot Studies Program; 2004 - 2005

Collaborating Institutions and Key Personnel:
HIV Center:
Principal Investigator: Michael J. Stirratt, Ph.D.
Mentor: Robert H. Remien, Ph.D.
Consultant: Lucia O'Sullivan, Ph.D.

Project Overview:
"Serosorting" is the practice of using HIV serostatus as a criterion for the selection of casual sex partners. Serosorting can represent an important sexual risk reduction strategy when it is used to correctly identify HIV seroconcordant sex partners. However, studies indicate that perceived HIV seroconcordance is a strong predictor of unprotected sex, and individuals often misperceive the serostatus of their sex partners. If these conditions apply to men who have sex with men (MSM) who serosort their casual sex partners, then these men or their partners are at-risk for HIV transmission. The study therefore aims to 1) develop a detailed understanding of the conditions under which men conduct serosorting; 2) describe the relationship between serosorting and sexual risk practices; and 3) determine which elements of serosorting are amenable to change to inform the development of behavioral interventions to reduce potential HIV transmission risks associated with this practice.

The sample comprises 30 sexually active MSM (15 HIV seropositive and 15 HIV seronegative) who report that partner HIV serostatus influenced their selection of male sex partners in the previous three months. Participants were recruited from community locations and Internet websites. They completed daily journals regarding sexual behavior over a three-week period and underwent a 90-minute semi-structured qualitative interview. These data will guide the development of a behavioral intervention promoting sexual risk reduction among MSM who seek to serosort their sex partners. Interviews have been completed and transcribed; coding and analysis of data are underway.

Publications and Presentation Abstracts:
None to date.