What is SERO-SORTING?
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SERO-SORTING
Sero-sorting is the practice of identifying social and sexual partners based on their HIV status. This can be controversial for being used to engage in sexual activities without regard to safer sex practices as either participants were free of HIV or were already carriers. Although sero-sorting has been around for years, it's become more prevalent because the way we socialize has evolved in the technological age. Some health professionals will cite sero-sorting as a harm reduction method for gay men to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection.
BUT sero-sorting is not risk free. For people who are negative there are many concerns such as people not being sure of their HIV status, or lying about it. Even a recent negative HIV test may not be valid, if they are still within the window period after a recent possible exposure. Another consideration is that just because someone does not have HIV does not mean that they are free of other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis or hepatitis B.
For HIV+ people, having unprotected sex with a positive partner puts them at risk of becoming infected with another strain. The risk is that someone with a less aggressive, drug susceptible strain of the virus, who might be managing their infection with available drugs, could be exposed to an aggressively, drug-resistant strain.It is important to always make an informed decision about your personal life and your sexual health.
Check out these articles if you would like to learn more about sero-sorting:
From About.com
What is sero-sorting? How Does it Decrease HIV Infection Rates?
By Mark Cichocki, R.N., Updated: May 10, 2007
http://aids.about.com/od/hivpreventionquestions/f/serosort.htm
From The San Francisco AIDS Foundation
http://www.sfaf.org/beta/2007_win/serosorting.html
From AIDS Map
Serosorting, HIV optimism and gay men in Sydney
Michael Carter, May 17, 2006
http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/6872D4C3-1FA8-48A7-B006-64BAE8D38FEC.asp
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