Sexual Risk-Taking

Sexual risk-taking and risky sexual behavior are difficult to define, especially in reference to sexual activity among members of the LGBTQ community, for whom attraction, desire, and sexuality have historically been pathologized. Although this historical social context is important for understanding factors related to sexual risk-taking behavior, “risk-taking” and “risky sexual behavior” are currently defined in relation to negative personal and public health implications. Even within psychological and public health research, definitions of risky sexual behavior differ. Across studies, sexual risk-taking—and the act of engaging in risky sexual behavior—is often operationalized by several measures. The most common [Page 1071]markers of risky sexual behavior include early (i.e., early adolescent) sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, unprotected intercourse, sex with a partner(s) of unknown HIV or sexually transmitted ...