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Amplifying and Quantifying HIV-1 RNA in HIV Infected Individuals with Viral Loads Below the Limit of Detection by Standard Clinical Assays
Published on: September 26, 2011
Silence, assent and HIV risk.
Barry D Adam1, Winston Husbands, James Murray
1Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. adam@uwindsor.ca
Culture, Health & Sexuality
|November 1, 2008
Summary
This study explores bareback sex among gay and bisexual men, revealing how social norms and cultural capital create high HIV risk situations. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Sexual Health
Background:
- Bareback sex is prevalent among some gay and bisexual men.
- Cultural norms within specific sexual circuits influence sexual practices.
- Understanding the social dynamics of bareback sex is essential for HIV prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the interactional processes, narrative elements, and meaning construction in bareback sex situations.
- To analyze how cultural capital shapes rules of conduct and risk-taking.
- To examine the role of social environments in facilitating or mitigating HIV risk.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study based on interviews with 34 men.
- Analysis of narratives to understand meaning construction and social norms.
- Examination of interactional processes in online and in-person sexual encounters.
Main Results:
- Differentiated cultural capital defines rules for sexual interactions, leading to high-risk situations.
- Social environments often normalize unprotected sex, with condom use being an exception.
- Sero-sorting is inconsistently achieved, increasing HIV vulnerability when men from different micro-cultures interact.
Conclusions:
- Social and cultural factors significantly influence HIV risk in bareback sex.
- Interventions must address the nuanced social norms and interactional processes within gay and bisexual male communities.
- Effective HIV prevention requires a deeper understanding of the 'taken-for-granted' rules governing sexual encounters.
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