- Of 727 men interviewed for the Young Men’s Survey (YMS), 33% reported exclusive homosexual activity, 51% reported bisexual activity, 11% reported exclusive heterosexual activity, and 4% reported never having experienced sexual intercourse.
- Overall prevalence of HIV infection among sexually active young gay/bisexual men 15-22 years of age was 8.7% (60/689).
- HIV prevalence varied widely by the race/ethnic group of YMS participants. HIV prevalence among Caucasian males was 4% (8/198), African Americans 16% (22/135), Latinos 8% (19/245), Asian/Pacific Islanders 10% (4/40), Native Americans 0% (0/14), and multiracial 12.5% (7/56).
- Young men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for HIV infection.
- Young MSM of color are at greater risk of HIV infection than young Caucasian men.
- HIV prevalence varies according to the gender of sexual partner(s) in the past 6 months. Men who had sex with men exclusively in the previous 6 months have an HIV prevalence of 11% (49/464); men who had sex with both men and women have a prevalence of 9% (8/90); men who had sex with women exclusively have a prevalence of 0% (0/88) and men who didn’t have sex in the past 6 months have a prevalence of 6% (3/47).
- Of the 548 young men who have had sex with men, 51% reported at least one episode of unprotected insertive or receptive anal sex with another male in the six month period prior to interview.
- Twenty-five percent of men reporting unprotected anal sex in the past 6 months believed that it was likely that they were HIV-infected. Fourteen (20%) of these 69 men actually tested positive for HIV antibodies at the time of the interview.
- Two-thirds of all sexually active young men (470/697) report a previous HIV test. Seventy-three percent (402/548) of men who have had sex with men in the past 6 months report a previous HIV test.
- Only 6 of the 60 males testing positive for HIV antibodies knew their HIV-positive status.
Source: HIV Epidemiology Program, LACDHS, 11/98
