Engagement in group sex among geosocial networking mobile application-using men who have sex with men
Gregory PhillipsA Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
B Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY), 2900 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 11210, USA.
C Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), 142 W. 36th Street, New York, NY 10018, USA.
D CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, The Graduate Center of CUNY, 2180 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10035, USA.
E Corresponding author. Email: brian@northwestern.edu
Sexual Health 12(6) 495-500 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH15108
Submitted: 26 March 2015 Accepted: 17 June 2015 Published: 10 August 2015
Abstract
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the group most affected by the HIV epidemic in the United States. At least one-quarter of MSM report engagement in group sex events (GSEs), which can pose a risk for HIV transmission and acquisition. In this study, identification of event-level correlates of sexual and drug use behaviours at GSEs was sought to better inform prevention activities. Methods: For this study, participants were recruited via banner and pop-up advertisements placed on a geosocial networking mobile phone application that MSM use to meet men. Results: Of the 1997 individuals who completed the study screener, 36.0% reported participating in at least one GSE in the prior year. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, attendance at a GSE in the past year was significantly associated with older age, full/part time employment and being HIV positive. Of the men who attended a GSE, more than half reported condomless anal sex (CAS) with at least one of their partners (insertive: 57.7%; receptive: 56.3%). MSM who indicated drug use had significantly higher odds of having insertive CAS [odds ratio (OR) = 2.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.37–4.39] and receptive CAS (OR = 3.60; 95% CI: 1.96–6.63) at their last GSE. Conclusions: The high prevalence of HIV-positive MSM engaging in group sex, coupled with their greater odds of CAS, poses a significant risk for HIV/STI transmission within the group sex setting. More research is needed to determine patterns of condom use at these events and whether seroadaptive behaviours are driving CAS.
Additional keywords: apps, drugs, HIV, threesome.
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