Variation in Sexual Behaviour in Gay Men

There is now substantial evidence that sexual behaviour among gay men has changed in response to AIDS. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases have declined in this group of men (Gellon and Ison, 1986). Rates of HIV infection in gay men attending genitourinary medicine clinics have showed no indication of increasing in most recent years (Carne et al., 1987; Evans et al., 1989; Collaborative Study Group, 1989). Both clinic (Carne et al., 1987; Evans et al., 1989) and non-clinic (DHSS, 1987) surveys of gay men report important decreases in risky sexual behaviour. However, as substantial numbers of men still report high risk sex in all of these surveys, it remains an urgent task to understand variation in behaviour.