RESUMO
The number of AIDS cases in men who have sex with men (MSM) decreased in the initial years of the epidemic, but the percentage of cases in this group has remained unaltered in the last five years. This study, aimed to improve knowledge on the impact of AIDS in the daily lives of MSM, was conducted in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, using a questionnaire and interviews. The results show that MSM perceive their vulnerability to HIV infection, referring to inconsistent condom use and multiple sex partners, given that 65% of homosexuals, 75% of bisexuals, and 33% of transvestites reported up to 5 partners in the previous month and emphasizing that 59% of the group reported more than 11 partners during the same period. The susceptibility of certain groups and the identification and understanding of their specificities pose a major challenge in any geographic context where such conditions are present.