Cross-sectional study of sexual behaviour and health of gay and bisexual men in suburban Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: contrasts between sex venue and clinic attendees
Catriona Ooi
A B G , Basil Donovan C D and David A. Lewis E F
A Northern Sydney Local Health District Sexual Health Service, NSW, Australia.
B Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
C Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
D Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
E Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, Parramatta, NSW, Australia.
F Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: catriona.ooi@health.nsw.gov.au
Sexual Health 18(3) 248-253 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH20196
Submitted: 5 November 2020 Accepted: 6 April 2021 Published: 20 May 2021
Abstract
Background: In Australia, men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) have higher rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and HIV compared with heterosexual men. We compared demographics, behaviour and HIV/STI prevalence for MSM attending a sex-on-premises-venue (SOPV) or the local sexual health clinic (SHC) to determine key differences. Methods: Men attending a SOPV during onsite HIV/STI screening from November 2015 for 12 months were compared with MSM attending a local SHC for screening. Each group completed a self-administered questionnaire and STI/HIV testing. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: Compared with SHC participants (n = 108), SOPV participants (n = 84) had a higher median age (47 years [range, 22–88] vs 33 years [range, 19–71]; P < 0.001) and less likely to report previous HIV testing (73% vs 89%; P < 0.01), STI testing (60% vs 90%; P < 0.001) or be vaccinated for hepatitis A (32% vs 65%; P < 0.001) or hepatitis B (35% vs 73%; P < 0.001). SOPV participants were more likely to be married, widowed or have a long-term female partner (39% vs 7%; P < 0.001) and have a higher prevalence of urethral and rectal chlamydia (7% vs 1%; P = 0.02 and 8% vs 2%; P = 0.03, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups for detection of syphilis (4% vs 9%), gonorrhoea (5% vs 9%) or HIV (1% vs 0%). Conclusion: MSM attending the SOPV had higher anogenital chlamydial prevalence compared with those attending the SHC. They reported higher rates of sex with female partners, which may facilitate STI/HIV transmission to heterosexual populations. Our findings have implications for HIV/STI service provision, contact tracing and local health promotion initiatives.
Keywords: health services, men who have sex with men (MSM), risk behaviours, screening, sex on premises venue (SOPV), sexual behaviours, sexuality, sexually transmissible infections (STIs).
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