Does circumcision make a difference to the sexual experience of gay men? Findings from the Health in Men (HIM) cohort.

Introduction: The relevance of circumcision in preventing male-to-male sexual transmission of HIV is poorly understood, in particular because any potential beneficial effect could be diminished by the impact of circumcision on sexual behavior.

Aim: We examined the impact of circumcision on sexual experience.

Methods: Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed on data from 1,426 HIV-negative homosexually active men.

Some characteristics of early-onset injection drug users prior to and at the time of their first injection.

Aims: This paper examines differences between early- and late-onset injection drug users (12-16 years versus 17-24 years) in terms of the antecedents and circumstances of first injection.

Design: Cross-sectional retrospective design, using logistic regression. Setting Australia: Sydney, Brisbane, rural New South Wales.

How has the sexual behaviour of gay men changed since the onset of AIDS: 1986-2003.

Objective: To report changes in sexual behaviour among gay men in Sydney from 1986 to 2003.

Methods: Baseline data from four studies of gay men in Sydney were used: the Social Aspects of the Prevention of AIDS study (1986/87: 91 HIV-positive and 444 HIV-negative men); the Sydney Men and Sexual Health cohort (1993-95: 237 HIV-positive and 910 HIV-negative men); the Health in Men cohort of HIV-negative gay men (2001-03: 1,148 men); the Positive Health cohort of HIV-positive gay men (2001/02: 237 men). Each sample was recruited and interviewed using similar methods.

Stability and change in sexual practices among first-year Australian university students (1990-1999).

A questionnaire on sexual attitudes and behavior was administered to first-year students at Macquarie University in Sydney every year from 1990 to 1999 (N = 4295 aged 18-19; 72.5% female). Responses to questions about experience of different sexual practices (tongue kissing, oral sex, and vaginal intercourse) with regular and casual partners were analyzed for trends.

HIV and sexual health knowledge and sexual experience among Australian-born and overseas-born students in Sydney.

Purpose: To examine differences between Australian-born and Asian-born first-year university students in Sydney in their sexual behavior and knowledge about the prevention and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

Methods: Students were recruited from a stall during the student Orientation Week in both 2002 and 2003 at the University of New South Wales. A short questionnaire was completed and returned anonymously.

Willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials among HIV-negative gay men in Sydney, Australia.

This study aimed to determine and describe HIV-negative gay men's willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials. Data were from participants who completed face-to-face interviews during the first 18 months (to the end of 2002) of recruitment into the Health in Men cohort of HIV-negative gay men in Sydney. A key outcome measure was a scale of Willingness to Participate in HIV Vaccine Trials, with scores ranging from 1 (unwilling) to 4 (willing).

Scaling HIV vaccine attitudes among gay men in Sydney, Australia.

This study aimed to develop reliable scales of HIV vaccine attitudes. Gay men were recruited at the 2001 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day, a large gay community gathering of thousands of people. A total of 776 participants completed a questionnaire containing 38 items about HIV vaccines.