HIV: Infection Rates Higher Among Young Gay and BI Men
While things have definitely changed since the 80s when it comes to HIV, there are still some areas where the fights against the disease could still see some improvement.
For instance, a recent report by the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) revealed that rates of infection among young gay and bisexual men have been increasing, despite the overall decrease in HIV infection among the general population.
The report, which was conducted over a six-year period, showed that the rates of infection among gay and bisexual men ages 25 to 34 rose by 35 percent in 2014, from 7,200 to 9,200. Infection among Latino gay and bisexual males of all ages increased by 20 percent, from 6,100 to 7,300.
The report also revealed that “gay and bisexual men aged 13 to 24 accounted for an estimated 92% of new HIV diagnoses among all men in their age group and 27% of new diagnoses among all gay and bisexual men.” Of the people diagnosed with AIDS, 54 percent of people them were gay and bisexual men.
This rise of infection among gay and bisexual men is attributed by the report to a number of factors, one of which is through unsafe sex. The CDC points out that “most gay and bisexual men acquire HIV through having anal sex with an HIV-positive person without using a condom or without taking daily medicine to prevent HIV called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or without their partner taking medicine to treat HIV called antiretroviral therapy (ART).”
In a press release, Dr. Eugene McCray, director of the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention said, “High-impact prevention strategies must continue to be developed and implemented at the state and local levels to accelerate progress. That means more testing to diagnose infections, increasing the proportion of people with HIV who are taking HIV treatment effectively and maximizing the impact of all available prevention tools.”
What are your thoughts on these new statistics? Why do you guys think unsafe sex practices continue to proliferate in the community, despite the dangers it poses? Share your comments with us below.
If having unsafe sex, one partner, at least should be on prep in order to not spread hiv or receive it. If everyone could educate themselves about using prep while having anal sex, there would be many less hiv infected individuals.
I see a lot of young men that practice unsafe sex because they may feel it isn’t life threatening to get HIV anymore. I also see many young men asking to be pozzed, some even ask about dirty viral loads. I could imagine the horror it would be if the many men who died in the 80-90’s could see this behavior
It’s up because of the high price of condoms and Prep. It many have $1600 on average every month for the med and the assistance only covers $3,600 for the year. A lot of health plans won’t cover it either because it’s considered preventative medicine. There’s an abundance of people claiming to be on Prep but the last time I checked people between 13 and 24 aren’t making the money required for a health plan that covers Prep, has Tier 4 copays and still pay things like rent/mortgage, car, bills, etc all while still trying to buy condoms regularly. Not everyone has great insurance and I happened to luck out and qualify for VA insurance which covers everything for me.
The almost dramatic rise in porn going back to bareback probably also contributes to that as well. Younger guys are exploring and they see guys in videos going raw and think that’s the norm since men can’t get pregnant. They’ll also be more likely to believe someone that says they’re negative than a person who’s been around for awhile and knows how shady some gays can be.
“The almost dramatic rise in porn going back to bareback probably also contributes to that as well.”
Whenever the topic of the detrimental effects of porn is raised on this blog, you see far too many guys who yell “it’s just fantasy!”
“High price of condoms”? “Still trying to buy condoms regularly”?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Are you SERIOUS? I don’t know where the fuck you shop but I buy a 12 pack of Durex at Walmart for about $6. Hell, you can order them by the GROSS (144) for about $30 if you get that much ass. You’re just as bad as that dumb libtard bitches Sandra Fluck-tard whining about how she can’t afford birth control pills (as she attends GEORGETOWN no less) when most pharmacies carry generic pills for $10 a month.
Oh, and if you can’t afford PrEP and it isn’t covered by your insurance (or you don’t have insurance), Gilead will give it to you for free. So there goes your entire idiotic view out the window.
I think it might have to do with the misconceptions, like in this article, that suppression medications prevent transmition. They do not work effectively, and even the instruction packet for Truvada says to use condoms. Another misconception is that a person with a non-detectable viral load can’t pass the virus to a sexual partner. They can. Non-detectable does not mean not present.
In any case, human error must be factored in. And I have yet to meet a sexually active HIV positive gay man who has been 100 per cent medically compliant. The safest best is to use condoms.
In my humble opinion, our community knows that there effective antiretroviral medications that can help those infected with HIV life “healthy” and longer lives. In addition, HIV treatment is at the reach to anyone sometimes free through state/ federal funding or non-profit organizations. If HIV treatment costs were to be tranferred to those careless men who engage in unsafe sex practices I am sure more of these men will think twice before having unsafe sex. Lastly, it wont be long before those on PREp and who still engage in unsafe sex practices will begin to build resistance to it and some will end up with viruses with mutations. Meaning that if you test HIV positive the typical meds wont be of much help. Much like being resistance to penicillin.
Stay safe and say no HIV viral loads, if you are make sure your partner is on HIV meds and you are on Prep.
Hugs and Kisses from an ER-Trauma Nurse
(Sorry for any spelling erros i typed this on my phone with my chubby fingers)
I hate saying it, however, I’m not surprised. I just think the average gay; perhaps bi- is so (anally-hardwired or bottom) they just cant’ help themselves, terribly vulnerable. I’ve never understood it personally, this state of mind where you just forget, forsake your own well being, for what; 10 minutes or so, with someone you’re likely to never even speak to again; like running off a cliff and expecting to land on your feet, ALIVE!
I lost a number of very, very close friends, from the time of my mid twenties, the last of them while we were in our early thirties, as they were terribly careless. I was very insecure of myself physically-sexually.
I’ve learned so very much since those days in the early 80’s in Minnesota. I was watching ch-2, they said, “if you’re sexually active, you need to just consider everyone hiv+” thus taking proper precaution, I never forgot that.
Since watching the Dave Letterman show in; I guess it was about late 90’s, Dave asked Steven Segal, who once worked for the CIA, “what do you think of this aids epidemic?” Steven said, “well now I use to work security for the CIA, so I can’t say too much because I have a family, but, I will say this: it is a man made disease.”
Personally, I think since gay folk really started gaining ground in the 80’s, additionally, ‘it’ sprang-up in Africa, when Mandela was freed, Apartied abolished, the Afrikaners had left…
The timing is no coincidence in my head. This isn’t the first time “Governments” would resort to viral-warfare” to quell those who would be free. I considered it warfare way back then, something about the timing just struck me as odd, too perfect. I’m African American, born in 61′ in Minneapolis, Minn., I never really felt as free as my friends (white) as it turns out, they weren’t that free as gay men, either, as they felt they were, but, their Spirits are free now, I hope. I loved my friends like we were family, like we were lovers without, the sexual contact, that sometimes is the best love gay men can offer each other, really.
I have several younger friends who prefer bareback or raw sex only. And they aren’t exclusive. I don’t think they have known anyone who has died of AIDS. I think there is still a bit of stigma against hooking up with a positive guy, but no blatant fear, and seemingly very little fear of HIV. It seems almost manageable like high blood pressure or diabetes. But those living with it might disagree. I don’t know.
I don’t care anymore. Why should anyone care? They are choosing to mess up their lives. Their problem. They do not deserve any resources thrown at them. All the information is out there. You can’t discount the influence of bareback porn. They just think it is cool to be dirty and spread disease like it doesn’t matter. Just stay away from them. It is the worst of the 1980s come back to haunt us again. Having survvived it all, they deserve no concern, no sympathy. Stop wasting money. The truth is, there are much worse diseases to worry about. And that there is no help for. So fuck them, and don’t fuck them and don’t let them fuck you.
I’m willing to bet that the increase in HIV infections is due to the scourge of crystal meth usage in the gay community. Nowadays, you can’t seem to find a profile on these sights where there’s no references to blowing clouds, tina, or a bunch of capital T’s mentioned, and “anything goes”. And many here don’t seem to give a rat’s ass that they’re passing their infections onto other people. I’d like to see the statistics that shows how many people were on meth while they were having unprotected sex. Bet the percentage is the same.
The rise in unsafe sex and infection is most likely due to the rise in the use of crystal meth in the gay community, especially when many people’s profiles on here and elsewhere either openly state it or make reference to it, along with “anything goes”. Not surprising to see an increase in the infection rate. Sad, but not surprising.
meth has been around teh gay community for at least 30 yrs so it’s nothing new.
I gel that hay males don’t care anymore if they become.e infected.. The rate of u safe sex is so high.. Guys believe that because Prep exist now, they will not get infected. They are wrong… I feel that bath houses and gay parties should be Band and Close.. We need our brothers our new generation to educate and play Safe…
I am going to say “looking at you Grindr”
What is the PURPOSE of this USELESS quantitative research?? It restates the obvious. There is NOTHING in this column that proposes any type of solution
“Why do you guys think unsafe sex practices continue to proliferate in the community, despite the dangers it poses?”
Twice I left commentary to answer this question. Twice my comments got deleted. If you refuse to recognize the fact that there is a high rate of usage of a cerTain subsTance among those people who are playing high risk, then it pretty much renders the question posed at the end of this article meaningless. It has become the scourge of the gay community, and most on here know it, along with the “anything goes” mentality of those using it. People will do what they do, and at some point will pay the price for it, and can only blame themselves when it happens.
Personally I feel like people still practice unsafe sex because of the recent improvement with the prevention of HIV. Having prep is great but it seems as though people think it is an automatic pass to having unsafe sex. Also it seems as though many of the younger generation lies about their status or the fact that they’re on prep. Either way, it is very sad that with all of the education and preventative messages we have people still make the decision to engage in unsafe sex acts.
But…but…everyone is on Prep now so this can’t happen.
Imagine that. Either guys lie about being on Prep, or it’s not as effective at the whiny whores want you to believe.
Imagine that
This is not surprising. They didn’t live through the 80s and believe they are immortal. I can’t tell you how many younger guys insisted on bb s a precondition to sex. it’s dangerous. they don’t believe it. Well, now we know.
I would like to see data that correlates socioeconomic status to this increase infection rate. People like to think that HIV doesn’t discriminate in who gets it. Biologically, that may be true. But when a person who earns more and has good insurance, they have better access to preventive healthcare. I do think that this is about two things: 1) Younger people don’t earn as much and can’t afford the healthcare, 2)They don’t recall or know the true suffering that can come from a non-treated hiv infection. More education on this matter for this group and better economic opportunities might lower the infection rate?
Well one big way to prevent HIV is to stop using drugs and needles to try and make yourself and others feel better. Bareback sex is the way sex was ment but if you do drugs and share needles then you are asking to give and get aids. I for one can’t figure why anyone would need to use drugs of any kind. I have’t and never will.
I believe the young guys don’t really care about the hiv/aids virus,i see it in str8 sex too(m/F).I am not surprise hearing about the Latino men.
Oh my, what a bonanza! I have my glass of Astica Malbec and I am comfortably seated so I can have a good time reading the “moralistic” but superficial comments about this topic.
What a strange virus, this custom-designed HIV virus. So many people around the world have been ASSASSINATED with it!
Human decision-makers and their sidekicks couldn’t help it. They had to put an end to the sexual revolution of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Oh, you can send my IP address and/or email address to the powers that be although I am warning you already that this will be a futile and fruitless action. You might get a check or reward for your vain efforts though.
In the meantime guys, enjoy the DOLDRUMS!
“…rates of infection among young gay and bisexual men have been increasing, despite the overall decrease in HIV infection among the general population.”
Is this a surprise? After all, we’re talking about a group of people many of whom believe “it’s my right to be free! It’s my right to be whoever I am! It’s my right to use whatever bathroom I want! It’s my right to have sex with whoever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want, however I want!”
That last one comes with a caveat “even if I’ll lose my job, face jail time for lude behavior or get life-threatening diseases.”
Yes, it’s your right to do whatever your happy-go-lucky little heart desires, Peter Pan.
We can thank the Bush Administration and its promotion of abstinence only sex ed in school for part of this. Parents are also not talking to their kids especially if their kids are gay and or if they are even out.
People will blame bareback porn but that is a scapegoat because porn was never for educating it is for entertaining.
Wondering how people feel about “clean” being used to describe hiv-???? Does that make hiv+ people dirty?