Partner Management among Latino MSM

Literature on risk has historically focused on individual behavior (“How many partners have you had? How often do you use a condom? etc.); however recent studies have begun to recognize the need to acknowledge the social and sexual context of risk behavior. For example, studies have examined the role of partner preferences, sexual situations, partner selection, sexual stereotypes and, most recently, seroadaptive behaviors. Additionally, studies of sexual risk behaviors integrate social influences that may impact sexual negotiations (homophobia, sexual silence, cultural influences, etc.). Building from this body of literature, the PI has introduced the term of “partner management” to describe a process in which men initiate behaviors to maximize their sexual pleasure and minimize the risk involved. We will conduct 36 in-depth interviews with participants to explore the partner management processes of Latino MSM (LMSM). The specific research aims of this study are to: Understand the factors (social, cultural, psychological) that influence partner management among LMSM. Describe the impact of acculturation processes (sexual scripts, cultural values, negotiated identities). on the partner management process of LMSM. Characterize the ways in which partner management is operationalized when LMSM negotiate. sexual situations