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Serosorting Sexual Partners by Gay and Bisexual Men to Prevent HIV Infection: Implications for Public Health Clinicians
Author(s) -
Blackwell Christopher W.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.12181
Subject(s) - medicine , public health , epidemiology , transmission (telecommunications) , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , ethnic group , family medicine , environmental health , nursing , sociology , electrical engineering , anthropology , engineering
The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiological statistics in the United States demonstrate that gay and bisexual men are at most risk for acquiring new HIV infections. While public health campaigns aimed at gay and bisexual males have resulted in improved HIV screening and greater awareness of the need for safer sex practices, barebacking has become a practice of increasing incidence. This act carries the highest risk of HIV transmission and acquisition; and data suggest HIV disease burden is higher among ethnic minorities. Serosorting—purposely seeking HIV serocordant partners—to help lower risk of HIV infection is common. While this can be a positive step in preventing the spread of HIV , it carries serious threats that must be acknowledged. The purpose of this article was to explore the positive and negative aspects of serosorting in the prevention of HIV , describe ways in which health care providers can approach the topic with clients, provide clinical practice implications, and suggest some direction for future research.