What is the CONNECT study?

The CONNECT study will explore: how gay men network and communicate today; the beliefs about what is acceptable regarding sexual practices and how these may relate to HIV risk and risk reduction; and will compare these patterns in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

The CONNECT study is the first of its kind in Australia as it uses a different form of  recruitment in which men who participate are also asked to refer their friends to complete the survey. The survey is completely anonymous - study referral coupons with unique numbers are used to refer friends and learn how men connect.

The findings from connect will help tailor future HIV interventions in our community.

Funding

The CONNECT study is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia for a three-year period 2010-2012.

Partnerships

This study is being conducted by the Kirby Institute (formerly The National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research) in collaboration with The National Centre in HIV Social Research (NCHSR), Curtin University, AIDS Councils of New South Wales (ACON), Victoria (VAC) and Western Australia (WAAC), and the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)