Age and Judgments of Attractiveness as Factors of HIV Preventive Behavior Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract An ethnically diverse sample (N = 250) of HIV seropositive men who have sex with men (MSM) in the New York City and San Francisco metropolitan areas were interviewed in depth to elicit their experiences regarding living with HIV and their sexuality. Topics included coping with HIV, factors influencing partner selection, and sexual risk behaviors. Analyses of these responses revealed several interrelated themes regarding age and physical appearance that naturally emerged. These themes included: (1) protecting younger sexual partners from HIV infection compared with older partners; (2) assumptions regarding the HIV status of younger casual sex partners; (3) disclosure of HIV serostatus by older men; and (4) issues regarding sexual desirability and physical appearance. These findings point to the direct impact that age and sexual desirability have on sexual decision-making on intergenerational sexual encounters among HIV-seropositive MSM.