Background to the Research

• This report presents the findings of research carried out into the gay and bisexual communities in Northern Ireland during 1994. The aim of the research was to find out what type of information and services were needed to promote sexual health and to help fight the spread of HIV infection and AIDS in these communities.
• The research objectives were to:
  • Identify the expressed needs of men who have sex with men in relation to information and services aroud HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
  • Explore respondents' views of previous sexual health promotion initiatives developed for gay men.
  • Identify appropriate strategies and channels of communication with gay men.
    

Research Approach

• The research was conducted as part of an action based project. The Rainbow project provided an outreach service of safer sex information at gay venues for a period before, during and after the collection of data. This approach was based on the assumption that because little HIV prevention work had been undertaken with the gay community in the past, approaching this community directly with a questionnaire would elicit a poor response.
• The Rainbow Project has been providing outreach support twice a week to the commercial gay scene since June 1994. During the research period, on outreach nights an information point was set up where safer sex information was displayed. All volunteers wore Rainbow Project T-shirts for easy identification.
• The needs assessment was carried out between July and October 1994, during which 250 questionnaires were distributed in four venues in Belfast and one venue in Londonderry. A short questionnaire was chosen as the best way to get a maximum amount of information in a busy social venue. From the total of 250 questionnaires returned, a useable response rate of 92% was achieved.
  

Main Findings

Socio-demographic profile

• Only 39% of respondents were open about their sexuality in work. However 67% were open to families about being gay. Eleven per cent claimed to be not 'out' at all and over a quarter of respondents had negative feelings about their sexuality.
• The majority of men lived in Belfast (63.5%), but there was evidence of men travelling from towns all over Northern Ireland.
• The average age of the sample was 27, with 16 being the youngest, and the eldest 50 years old. Of those who were 18 or below, 68.5% were from the Belfast area, while 79% of those aged between 19-21, lived in the Belfast area.
• The questionnaire revealed that 41% of the sample were exclusively homosexual, with a further 15% having sexual contact mainly with women, or equally with women and men.
• 23% of respondents said they went to a gay venue once a week and a further 43.5% went more than once a week.

Access to information about safer sex, HIV and Aids issues

• The best formats for communicating safer sex messages, as indicated by respondents were: leaflets (88%), gay press (82%), friends (78%) and posters (72%).
• The best sources of information were felt to be: TV/Radio (77%), National Aids Helpline (55%), HIV positive people (47%), Genito-urinary Medicine Clinic (37%); Cara-Friend (35%) and GP (35%).
• Those in the sample who had never availed of the above services were: Cara-Friend (59%), Genito-urinary Medicine Clinic (57%), GP (52%), HIV positive people (50%), National Aids Helpline (41%) and TV?Radio(12%).
• Those who found information easily available, cited friends and workplace as good sources of information. Of the 22% who found access to information difficult, the most commonly cited reasons were not having anyone to talk to or embarrassment at broaching the subject.
• In response to the question regarding images which work best for safer sex materials, 70% indicated positive sex positive images and 40 men indicated accurate information as important elements. A small number expressed a desire for more explicit information (22) and some though fear of shock tactics would be appropriate (21).
• The responses showed a need for easily available information on: having an HIV test, up-to-date statistics, sexually transmitted diseases, risk of transmission from oral sex and welfare rights for seropositives.
• Of those who responded to the open ended question regarding service needs, the most popular answers were: a gay centre with Genito-urinary medicine facilities, safer sex workshops, safer sex videos in bars, counselling services, a hospice for those with an AIDS-related illness, a gay 'travelling show' to target schools and colleges, a 'buddy' service and a free Helpline.
• When asked how they personally felt the gay community in Northern Ireland had responded to the threat of HIV and AIDS, of those who answered (80%), over a third felt that the response had been poor.
• 96% of respondents though that it was appropriate to provide and information and advice on HIV and safer sex in the form of outreach in gay venues.