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This study explored sexual practices and sex-seeking behaviours in a sample of 222 East and Southeast Asian men recruited through two gay venues. Over half of the respondents reported having a current regular partner; the rate of unprotected anal sex with their regular partner was high (45.1%). Among all respondents, 74.8% (166) reported having casual sex with an average of 16 partners in the previous six months; 26.5% of these 166 respondents reported unprotected anal sex with their casual partners. Respondents used multiple venues to seek sex, but bathhouses and the internet were most commonly cited. Bivariate analysis demonstrated that respondents who sought men for sex via both bathhouses and the internet in the past six months were most likely to have had a casual partner, to have had unprotected anal sex with a casual partner, and to have had prior HIV and STI testing. In comparison to respondents who used only bathhouses to seek sex, respondents who used only the internet had fewer casual partners but were more likely to have unprotected anal sex with a casual partner. Given these findings, additional research is needed to further explore the individual and structural factors that shape the condom use behaviour of these sub-populations. HIV prevention efforts must include culturally relevant information about HIV and STI transmission to promote condom use. It is also critical to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate online prevention education for Asian MSM who seek sex primarily through the internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well documented that drug use is highly prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and that drug use is correlated with unprotected sex in this population. However, little is known about these phenomena as they relate to ethno-racial MSM in Canada. A survey was conducted to explore the prevalence and correlates of drug use in a sample of East and Southeast Asian MSM in Toronto. A total of 222 participants completed questionnaires. One in four participants reported drug use in the past six months, with 8.1% using three or more different types of drugs during that period. Marijuana and ecstasy were cited as the most popular drugs in this population. Drug use was found to be independently associated with ethnicity, prior HIV testing, prior STI testing, having a casual partner, unprotected anal sex with a casual partner, and history of seeking sex via bathhouses and the internet, in the past six months. The results indicate that drug use is associated with increased sexual risk behaviours among East and Southeast Asian MSM. HIV/STI prevention programs need to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies that specifically target drug use and address the specific needs of different ethnic Asian groups. Prevention strategies also need to continue to raise awareness that drug use can impair judgment and increase risk for HIV and STI infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the patterns of HIV and STI testing, and factors associated with HIV testing in a convenience sample of 222 East and Southeast Asian men in Toronto recruited through a gay bathhouse and a gay website. Approximately 75% of the respondents had sex with a casual partner in the previous six months (with an average of 16.7 partners). Over 25% of the respondents did not know their current HIV status and 19.8% of the total sample reported at least one incident of unprotected anal sex with a casual partner in the past six months. Half of those who had not previously been tested for HIV or STIs cited "I am at low risk for HIV and STI and don't need to be tested" as the main reason for not testing. Factors such as STI testing, history of seeking sex via bathhouses and the internet, having a casual partner or partners, and having higher numbers of casual partners in the past six months, were found to be associated with HIV testing. HIV prevention strategies need to continue to promote regular testing for HIV and STIs among Asian MSM. To increase testing, prevention efforts need to be focused on developing culturally and linguistically appropriate testing strategies that directly target altering risk perception and continue to emphasize the benefit of early testing. Testing strategies should aim to increase awareness of and access totesting and offer different methods of testing (such as finger prick HIV tests). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has shown that a large number of men who go to bathhouses engage in unprotected anal sex and have multiple sex partners. Relatively little is known about the behaviour and experiences of East and Southeast Asian men visiting bathhouses. The present study surveyed 101 men of East and Southeast Asian origin who attended a gay bathhouse in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The objective was to document their HIV-testing history, likelihood of condom use during anal sex with casual partners and to identify their reasons for using or not using condoms. Participants' HIV-testing history indicated that 15.8% had never been tested and 23.5% were last tested 2-4 years ago or more. About one quarter of the 86 men who had casual sex in the six months prior to the survey said they did not always use a condom. Forty-three percent of the men who had not used condoms for anal intercourse on one or more occasions indicated that "Sex partner looked healthy; should be OK" and "Got carried away in the excitement of the moment" as reasons why a condom was not used. HIV prevention efforts for this population need to address issues regarding accessibility of HIV testing and the provision of accurate and culturally relevant information about the importance of condom use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]