Risky Sexual Behavior on Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday), so named for the tradition of eating rich and fatty foods due to the fasting associated with Lent and Ash Wednesday, the latter of which occurs one day later. The holiday is also known for wearing all sorts of bizarre masks, costumes, strange parades, dancing, and violation of social norms. Along with this often comes heavy alcohol consumption and illegal drug use. This is associated with more risky impulsive behaviors such as risky sexual activity. Risky behaviors are not isolated to Mardi Gras of course (since people engage is riskier behaviors on vacations in general) but Mardi Gras offers a period of time where one can study such behavior in a more controlled way.

In 2007, researchers examined sexual risk behavior in men attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a city known for a high AIDS population and well known for the annual Mardi Gras celebration. The researchers focused on male homosexual sex, given the known risk associated with HIV. The total number of men studied was 132. Unsafe male heterosexual sex also carries an HIV risk but the researchers chose to focus on the former. Despite the known risk factors of unsafe homosexual activity and the subjects being knowledgeable about HIV transmission, the researchers found that about half of the sexually active men in the study reported having sexual activity with a partner of unknown HIV status while in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Moreover, about half of these men did not disclose their HIV status to all of their sexual partners. Not surprisingly, illegal drug use and excessive alcohol use was associated with unprotected sex, further increasing HIV risk. Men with more accurate information on the partner’s HIV status resulted in less risky sexual behavior.

The researchers speculated that not much could be done to decrease these risky behaviors during Mardi Gras because people were specifically seeking out the party atmosphere during that specific holiday as a way to engage is risky sexual behaviors. However, whether homosexual or heterosexual, condom use will decrease (but not eliminate) the risk. Thus, making condoms more widely available in Mardi Gras locations (e.g., bars, guest houses, restaurants) was a suggested way to increased condom usage. Critics will say this encourages such behaviors but others will say that the behaviors will happen anyway so it makes sense to keep people safer if they want to be risky and risqué at the same time. Regardless of where you come down, enjoy Mardi Gras but be smart and be safe.

The reference for the above study is as follows:

Benotsch EG, Nettles CD, Wong F, Redmann J, Boschini J, Pinkerton SD, Ragsdale K, Mikytuck JJ. (2007). Sexual risk behavior in men attending Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana. J Community Health, 32(5):343-56.