Barcelona 2013
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| Abstract #582 - E-Posters English | ||||
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Session: 50.50: E-Posters English (Poster) on Sunday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Dr. Jason Mitchell - University of Michigan, United States |
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| Additional Authors: Dr. Jordi Casabona, Sra Cristina Sanclemente, Dra. Anna Esteve, Dra. Victoria Gonzalez, Grupo HIVITS TS, | ||||
| Aim: Current estimates in the US indicate that between one- and two-thirds of men who have sex with men (MSM) acquire HIV while in a same-sex relationship (e.g., gay male couples). Recent research has found that common relationship characteristics, including sexual agreements, and commitment, play an important role toward gay male couples? risk for HIV. However, whether perceptions of power influence gay male couples? risk for HIV remains largely unknown. To further our understanding about power dynamics and how they may affect gay male couples? risk for HIV, we sought to: 1) Understand how men define power within the context of their relationship; 2) Describe whether definitions and perceptions of power differ between partners within the couple; 3) Assess whether certain definitions of power, and perceptions of who has power, affect the couples risk for HIV, namely through engagement of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). | ||||
| Method / Issue: In 2009, a cross-sectional, mixed method, study design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative dyadic data from 142 HIV-negative male couples. All participants had to have met the following eligibility criteria: 18 years of age and older; been with their main partner for 3 or more months; had a HIV-negative status. At an arranged appointment, each qualified male in every couple completed the electronic survey simultaneously, yet independently. Steps were taken to verify each couple?s relationship. The survey contained a variety of measures, including engagement of UAI by partner type and items about power dynamics, which included the following two questions: 1) ?Thinking about the relationship you have with your boyfriend/partner, who would you say has the most power in your relationship?? Possible response options were Myself, My boyfriend, Neither-equal. 2) ?Given your answer to who has the most power in your relationship, why did you say this person has the most power?? (open response) Responses to qualitative data were analyzed to identify emerging themes and coded accordingly. Tests of association, at the couple-level, were then used to achieve aim 3. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Seven themes were identified about how male couples define power within their relationship. 41% (N=58) of couples had both partners define power similarly (i.e., they agreed) whereas 59% (N=84) of couples disagreed. 56% (N=80) of couples concurred about who had the most power in their relationship, whereas 44% (N=62) of couples had discordant responses about which partner had more power in their relationship. An association was found between couples who have one or both partners that had had UAI with a casual MSM partner and couples who defined power differently, and had discordant responses about who had more power. | ||||
| Discussion: Our findings suggest that partnered men define power ? within the context of a relationship - in a variety of ways, and that less than half of our couples defined it similarly within their relationship. These discrepancies or differences may lead to increased risk for HIV among gay male couples. Additional research is needed to determine how best to incorporate power dynamics in HIV prevention strategies for at-risk gay male couples. | ||||
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