Health-related social control and relationship interdependence among gay couples.

How gay partners influence each other to promote health and prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is poorly understood. The present study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the experience of health-related social control and relationship processes among a sample of 60 gay male couples. Couples completed semistructured interviews and separate self-administered questionnaires. Findings suggest that partners attempt to change a variety of behaviors, many of which are not HIV related, that they use a variety of social control tactics, some of which are specific to HIV prevention, and that their care and concern for each other and their relationship motivate social control to change health behaviors. The implications for health behavior change research and intervention are discussed.