The lifetime and recent sexual risk behaviors of 156 Gay, Lesbian, and bisexual youths, recruited from Gay-focused organizations in New York City, were examined. The data indicated seven reasons why the youths are at risk for HIV and other STDs: They initiated sex during early adolescence; their first sexual partners were older than they were; HIV barrier methods (e.g., condoms) were initiated subsequent to sexual debut; many lifetime sexual partners and encounters were reported; some youths exchanged sex for goods; many youths reported having had at least one partner at risk for HIV; and the youths engaged in unprotected sexual behaviors during the past 3 months. Significant gender differences emerged (e.g., the male youths reported more lifetime same-sex partners than the female youths; the female youths reported more lifetime other-sex partners than the male youths). Recent sexual risk behaviors (i.e., numbers of same-sex partners, encounters, and unprotected sex during the past 3 months) were related significantly to the youths' average degree of emotional involvement in or average duration of intimate relationships.
PIP: This study examined the lifetime and HIV-related risk behaviors of 156 gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths recruited from gay-focused organizations in New York City. Seven risk behaviors for HIV infection were identified, all of which involved sexual issues. These included 1) sex initiated during adolescence; 2) older sexual partners; 3) HIV barrier methods adopted subsequent to sexual debut; 4) many lifetime sexual partners and encounters; 5) sex for goods; 6) one partner at risk for HIV; and 7) unprotected sex during the past 3 months. The gender differences, which emerged, highlighted the elevated risk associated with having male partners, irrespective of the youth's gender. In addition, recent sexual risk behaviors were related significantly to the average degree of emotional involvement in or average duration of intimate relationships of the youths. These findings indicate that HIV preventive interventions must address relationship characteristics and that there is a need to deliver HIV preventive interventions to gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths as early as the beginning of adolescence.