Dr Peter Saxton Eighty percenty of gay and bi New Zealand men are still maintaining a high level of condom use for anal sex, according to new research results released by Otago University today. The findings are based on information supplied by 1320 men approached by researchers at gay venues and the Big Gay Out in February 2011. The survey, called GAPSS, was conducted by the AIDS Epidemiology Group at Otago University's Department of Preventive and Social Medicine in collaboration with the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. Sixty percent "always" used condoms when they had anal intercourse, rising to eighty percent when those who use them “almost always” are added. The researchers say this shows that HIV prevention education programmes are working. “And the research tells us that half of those gay and bisexual men who experienced any unprotected anal sex still use condoms most of the time. They are not prevention ‘failures’, nor has prevention failed them," says lead researcher Dr Peter Saxton. An almost identical survey, called GOSS, conducted at the same time amongst men seeking partners online showed this group were more likely to have had casual sex, more likely to report a fuckbuddy-type regular partner, and less likely to report a current boyfriend-type partner. Condom use with their casual and fuckbuddy partners was slightly lower than GAPSS respondents, but condom use with boyfriend partners was the same. Similar research conducted in 2002 and 2006 has indicated the same ongoing high level of commitment to condom use which is amongst the highest for men who have sex with men in any country around the world. It is believed to be a major reason for the comparatively low level of new HIV infections in the New Zealand gay and bi community compared to other nations such as Australia, the USA and the UK. But Saxton says the commitment to safe, comdomed, sex needs to rise even higher if the HIV epidemic is to be successfully controlled. “It needs to be even higher to control the HIV epidemic that we do have, and avert a rapidly emerging epidemic of other sexually transmitted infections. Collectively, that is the challenge.” Recent years have seen a surge in the rate of new HIV diagnoses amongst gay and bi men which is believed to be significantly driven by sexual encounters arranged online without sufficient reinforcement of the need for safe sex practises. The NZ AIDS Foundation, the primary organisation promoting safe sex to gay and bi men, says the research results are "encouraging" “This reinforces that New Zealand has a strong condom culture amongst men who have sex with men. This is very precious, because condoms remain the single most effective HIV prevention tool for gay and bisexual men in New Zealand," says NZAF Executive Director Shaun Robinson. “New Zealand has one of the lowest HIV prevalence rates in the world and our success is largely attributed to the consistent and vigorous promotion of condoms since the epidemic began,” Robinson says. “Condom use must remain high if we are to continue this success.” The findings were released today at the national HIV Treatments Update forum held in Auckland and are available online here. Two accompanying reports are also available online: A research brief on condom use Summary tables from the GAPSS and GOSS surveys The studies received funding from the Ministry of Health, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and the University of Otago. You can discuss this New Zealand gay community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 21st September 2012 - 10:42pm