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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2005.071423v1 97/6/1107    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Brennan, D. J. Articles by Welles, S. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Brennan, D. J. Articles by Welles, S. L. Related Collections Health Promotion HIV/AIDS Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Persons

David J. Brennan, MSW, Wendy L. Hellerstedt, MPH, PhD, Michael W. Ross, PhD, MPH and Seth L. Welles, PhD, ScD

David J. Brennan, is a PhD candidate at the School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass. Wendy L. Hellerstedt is with the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Michael W. Ross is with the School of Public Health, University of Texas, Houston. Seth L. Welles is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Seth L. Welles, PhD, Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 715 Albany St, 3TE, Boston, MA 02118. (e-mail: slwelles{at}bu.edu).

Objectives. We examined the prevalence and frequency of childhood sexual abuse and their association with sexual risk among a sample of gay and bisexual men.

Methods. Cross-sectional data were collected by survey from randomly selected gay and bisexual men who attended the 1997 and 1998 Minneapolis/St. Paul Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Festivals. Data included demographics, sexual activity, history of childhood sexual abuse, HIV status, history of sexually transmitted infection, use of sex-related drugs (such as crack, cocaine, Ecstasy, amyl nitrate, crystal methamphetamine, and Special K), and history of exchanging sex for payment.

Results. childhood sexual abuse was reported by 15.5% of the survey respondents (n = 134). Those who reported experiencing abuse regularly were more likely to (1) be HIV positive, (2) have exchanged sex for payment, and (3) be a current user of sex-related drugs. Neither unsafe sex nor sexually transmitted infections were associated with childhood sexual abuse.

Conclusions. These findings show that more than 1 in 7 gay and bisexual men in a non-clinical, festival-based setting were victims of childhood sexual abuse and that childhood sexual abuse was associated with alarmingly high rates of men who were HIV infected and antecedent risk behaviors.

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