Measuring exposure to sexually explicit media among young men who have sex with men: a pilot study
Kimberly M. Nelson A B C F , Matthew R. Golden D E and Sara Nelson Glick DA Centers for Behavioral and Preventative Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Coro West, Suite 309, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
B Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Box Box G-BH, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
C Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Coro East 167, Point Street, Suite 161, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
D Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 359777, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
E HIV/STD Program, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Harborview Medical Center, 325 9th Avenue, Box 359777, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
F Corresponding author. Email: kimberly_nelson_1@brown.edu
Sexual Health 13(1) 93-95 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH15163
Submitted: 12 August 2015 Accepted: 14 September 2015 Published: 5 November 2015
Abstract
Background: Sexually explicit media (SEM) consumption may contribute to sexual risk-taking among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Methods: The prevalence and frequency of SEM consumption as well as associations with contextual and sexual risk characteristics among 61 YMSM were estimated. Results: All participants (n = 61, 100%) reported viewing SEM; 45 (74%) in the past week. There were no significant associations between viewing SEM in the past week and measured characteristics. Conclusion: SEM use among YMSM is extremely common. Future research should clarify potential relations between SEM and sexual risk-taking with larger samples of YMSM and specific measures, including SEM content and amount.
Additional keywords: HIV, sexual risk-taking.
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