The response of gay and bisexual men to the threat of AIDS can guide other prevention programs once the necessary motivations, impediments, and correlates of this change are better understood. We review and critique the research literature and suggest limitations of existing studies for making inferences about nongay, nonurban, and nonwhite populations. We recommend increased efforts to understand the role of alcohol and other drugs in AIDS risk behavior and suggest the importance of self-efficacy and social support for initiating and maintaining behavior change. (Author abstract)