Sexual alcohol expectancies moderate the relation between alcohol use and sexual behavior among men who have sex with men.

BACKGROUND

HIV transmission remains a significant health concern for men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is related to increased rates of condomless anal intercourse (CAI) among MSM, though evidence suggests that this association may vary by individual difference factors. The present secondary analysis tested whether sexual alcohol expectancies (SAEs) moderate the associations between frequency of HED and anal intercourse (AI) with and without a condom among moderate-to-heavy drinking HIV- MSM.

METHODS

Two hundred and forty-eight moderate-to-heavy drinking MSM completed self-report questionnaires including the Sexual Behavior Questionnaire, the Modified Daily Drinking Questionnaire, and the Sexual Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Negative binomial regressions indicated that SAEs moderated the association between frequency of HED and AI with a condom, but not between the frequency of HED and condomless AI (CAI).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that stronger SAEs play a role in alcohol-related sexual behavior among MSM, but do not provide evidence that SAEs are associated with increased risk for HIV transmission through CAI.