Risks for Males Having Sex with Males (MSM)

Bill, a 62-year old retired chiropractor was in a monogamous relationship with his male partner for over 30 years. When his partner died, Bill began to seek companionship. He has met several men through the Internet. Each encounter has resulted in at least one event of unprotected sex. After some hesitation, Bill decided to talk with his doctor about being tested for HIV.

In the past, HIV/AIDS occurred predominantly in men who have sex with men (MSM). While this still remains the largest exposure category, the number of annual reported cases among homosexual and bisexual men has been steadily declining and has remained relatively stable in recent years.

However, research shows that older men have similar frequencies of sexual contacts compared with younger men. Furthermore, many older men have multiple partners and do not use condoms during sex. Despite relatively high levels of knowledge and concern about HIV/AIDS among older men who have sex with men, this does not always translate into risk reducing behaviors.