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Objectives

To study the ways of managing HIV risk within male homosexual steady relationships (gay couples), including factors associated with consistent condom use during anal sex with the steady partner.

Method

An anonymous and standardized questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of homosexuals in Switzerland in 1997 (n= 1097). Information on the couple was provided by the 74%(n= 786) of male respondents who reported having a steady partner in the past 12 months. Data were analysed by contingency tables and logistic regression.

Results

Different ways of managing HIV risk were reported: negotiated safety (both HIV negative, condoms abandoned) was chosen by one quarter of the couples, but the most frequent solution was reliance on condoms for anal sex, chosen by more than four in 10. Altogether 84% of couples exhibited safe management of HIV risk within their partnership. The 16 …