Correlations between drug use, HIV disclosure and interpersonal communication on sexual risk behaviour of HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Background: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic is a global health problem whose number of cases are always higher among men who have sex with men (MSM). Most existing MSM have moderate and very high risk behaviour in HIV transmission. This study was designed to identify correlations between drug use, HIV disclosure and interpersonal communication patterns on sexual risk behaviour among HIV-positive MSM.

Methods: This study used a cross sectional design with a purposive sampling technique for participants who visited the voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) clinic in a referral hospital and snowball sampling technique for participants in the work area of a community health centre in Batam involving 126 HIV-positive MSM. Data were collected by 5 part questionnaire, namely demographic questionnaire, drug screening questionnaire, brief scale for HIV self disclosure, communication pattern questionnaire-short form, and safe sex behaviour questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was applied to determine whether there is a relationship between drug use, HIV disclosure, interpersonal communication and demographic characteristics (ethnicity, educational status) with sexual risk behaviour of MSM. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the variables that most associated variable to sexual risk behaviour.

The results: The results showed that there was significant correlation between HIV disclosure and sexual risk behaviour (p = 0.019, α = 0.05, OR = 2.530) and significant correlation between interpersonal communication patterns and sexual risk behaviour (p = 0.016, α = 0.05, OR = 2.589). There is no significant correlation between demographic characteristics, namely: ethnicity and educational status with sexual behaviour at risk of MSM. In multiple logistic regression analysis, educational status was the factor that most associated with sexual risk behaviour among HIV-positive MSM (p = 0.027, α = 0.05, OR = 2.807, 95% CI = 1.125-7.006).

Conclusions: HIV disclosure and interpersonal communication patterns have a significant negative correlation with sexual risk behaviour among HIV-positive MSM. MSM with low HIV disclosure have high risk sexual behaviour opportunities. MSM with the closed interpersonal communication pattern also has a high risk of sexual behaviour. Education status was the most associated variable to sexual risk behaviour of HIV-positive MSM. Nurses as professional health workers need to improve comprehensive assessment, personal counselling and plan specific learning model by involving HIV-positive MSM in reducing HIV transmission from risky behaviour.