What constitutes the best sex life for gay and bisexual men? Implications for HIV prevention

BMC Public Health

Table 2 Demographic variation in best sex themes represented in each response

		% of respondents whose answers were included in a theme
		Relationship formulation	Emotional & sexual connection with partner	Volume & variety	Sexual actions or behaviours	Free from physical harm	Overcoming psychological and social barriers	Idealised physical attributes	Settings or physical spaces	Participant unsure
Sexual identity	Gay/homosexual (n=10170)	**43.7	**37.2	**31.4	**15.2	**11.2	**8.7	5.2	1.6	**2.4
	Bisexual (n=1322)	29.7	27.2	29.5	21.0	14.2	10.8	6.0	1.2	4.3
	Other (n= 594)	33.8	35.7	26.4	16.8	14.0	12.6	4.9	1.0	4.7
Relationship with a man/men	Not in relationship (n=7739)	**44.6	**37.6	**28.8	**15.1	**11.1	8.8	5.5	**1.3	**3.0
	In a relationship (n= 4355)	36.6	33.3	34.6	17.6	12.7	9.7	4.7	1.9	2.2
Out to people who know you	All or almost all (n=6145)	**42.7	**37.2	**32.6	**16.2	**11.6	9.2	**4.7	1.5	**2.3
	More than half (n=2194)	45.4	38.9	30.5	13.5	10.2	8.3	4.9	1.6	2.6
	Less than half (n=1284)	42.8	36.4	29.9	14.2	10.7	9.7	5.5	1.8	3.0
	Few (n=1746)	38.1	31.5	27.0	18.2	13.2	9.3	7.1	1.3	3.6
	None (n=694)	28.5	26.8	29.5	19.6	14.8	9.9	6.1	1.4	4.8
HIV testing history	Never (n=3296)	**38.6	**34.8	31.6	15.7	**10.5	**9.6	**5.6	1.2	**3.8
	Positive (n=1274)	38.4	34.8	29.4	18.3	9.3	10.7	6.8	2.0	3.2
	Negative (n=7505)	43.7	36.8	30.9	15.6	12.6	8.6	4.8	1.6	2.2
Age	<20 (n=524)	**39.1	**31.7	**37.8	**12.2	**15.1	8.8	**5.0	**1.0	**3.8
	20s (n=3187)	44.8	38.8	36.9	12.6	12.8	8.9	4.1	0.9	2.3
	30s (n= 3120)	43.3	37.8	31.6	15.2	12.2	8.4	4.6	1.7	2.6
	40s (n=3041)	39.7	33.8	29.1	17.8	11.3	9.2	5.7	1.8	2.6
	50+ (n=2257)	38.5	33.6	22.6	20.1	9.1	10.1	7.1	1.8	3.6

Cross-tabulations shown with ** on the principle line indicate where differences in responses between demographic groups are significant, p < 0.05.

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