U. S. researchers have said that Gay and bisexual men reporting sex abuse and social shame as children may have psychosocial problems later putting them at risk for HIV.

It has been reported that University of Pittsburgh researchers conducted a study of 1,000 HIV-positive and HIV-negative gay and bisexual men enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Study author Sin How Lim and colleagues find 10 percent of study participants reported being victims of childhood sexual abuse and nearly 30 percent experienced gay-related victimization between the ages of 12 and 14, such as verbal insults, bullying, threats of physical violence and physical assaults.

The researchers have said that both of these two groups were more likely to use illicit drugs and to engage in risky sexual behavior in adulthood.

According to the researchers, these health issues combine to create a "syndemic," or linked epidemic, increasing the risk of AIDS in gay men.

Lim says in a statement, "Our study shows that the early socialization experiences of gay men can be deeply stigmatizing and increase their risks for these syndemic conditions in adulthood. Given the long-lasting impacts, effective interventions should address multiple interrelated social issues early on rather than focusing on each problem in isolation." (With Inputs from Agencies)