Intentional condomless anal intercourse among Latino MSM who meet sexual partners on the Internet

Data on intentional condomless anal intercourse in risky contexts, also known as "barebacking," among ethnic minority MSM, whose rates of HIV infection continue to rise, are extremely limited. In this study, 31 Latino MSM who seek barebacking partners via the Internet underwent in-depth interviews about bareback sex and its association to pleasure, substance use, HIV concerns, and cultural identity. Participants reported engaging in bareback sex owing to the physical and emotional pleasure they experience. They expressed concern about HIV infection and took steps to reduce risk of infection. Although a majority of participants reported using alcohol or drugs in the context of bareback sex, substance use did not appear to propel the behavior. Crystal methamphetamine use, prevalent only among our HIV-positive participants, was related to very high HIV risk behavior. In this sample, culture did not seem to play a large role in barebacking.