Association of positive psychobehavioral factors and structural disadvantage with condomless sex in men who have sex men with childhood sexual abuse histories

Previous research has highlighted both psychological and structural risk factors as correlates of condomless anal sex, a key pathway to HIV acquisition in men who have sex with men (MSM). Fewer studies have focused on positive psychobehavioral factors, which may be associated with more consistent condom use. This study hypothesized that positive psychobehavioral factors would be associated with more frequent condom use over and above psychological and structural risk factors. MSM with histories of childhood sexual abuse in Boston, MA and Miami, FL (N = 108) completed cross-sectional assessments of psychosocial, structural, and positive psychobehavioral factors. These factors were entered simultaneously in a linear regression model to examine their association with frequency of condomless sex. More recent seroadaptive behavior (B = 0.323, 95% CI = 0.055–0.590, p = .019) and receipt of government benefits to supplement income (B = 0.892, 95% CI = 0.171–1.612, p = .016) were independently associated with higher frequency of condomless sex over and above all other psychosocial, structural, and positive psychobehavioral factors. R2 for the final model was 0.270. Ancillary analyses including participants taking and adherent to biomedical HIV prevention suggested an association between higher distress tolerance and lower frequency of condomless sex. Positive psychobehavioral factors may potentially lower risk for HIV in high-risk MSM; however, left unaddressed, structural disadvantage is a potent influence which may limit potential benefits.