Do Today's Young Homosexual Men Practice Safer Sex Than Today's Older Homosexual Men Did When They Were Young? An Analysis of Sexual Behavior Change Across Cohorts in Amsterdam

Comparisions of the level of sexual risk taking of today's younger and older homosexual men have not provided unequivocal conclusions regarding whether younger homosexual men are at higher risk than their older counterparts. To appraise more fully the level of risk taking among young homosexual men, this study also emphasizes a comparison of young homosexual men today with their older counterparts when they were young. Information from the Amsterdam Cohort Study and the Amsterdam Young Gay Men's Study was used to provide data on HIV and STD prevalence as well as sexual behavior among younger (< or =30 years) and older (>30 years) homosexual men in 1984/85 and 1995/96. Overall prevalence of HIV and STDs has dropped considerably among young gay men since 1984/85. Levels of unprotected receptive anal intercourse have also declined across time (from 98% to less than 48%), with 37% now restricting this practice to one partner. Direct behavioral comparisons between younger and older homosexual men might provide a 'high-risk' image for young gay men. However, when young homosexual men today are compared with their older counterparts when they were younger, a substantial reduction in high-risk sexual behavior across time is observed.