Online personal ads and its implication for sexual health risks: an observational analysis of posts
Jason Wang A and Sean D. Young
B C *
A Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
B Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
C University of California Institute for Prediction Technology, Department of Informatics, University of California, Irvine, 6091 Bren Hall, Irvine, CA 92617, USA.
Sexual Health 19(2) 122-126 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH21222
Submitted: 16 March 2021 Accepted: 10 March 2022 Published: 22 April 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Background: People use online personal advertisements (ads) to solicit sexual partners. Data from online ads are often publicly available, allowing researchers to better understand the topics discussed and potential role of online ads in sexual health and risk behaviours. This study aims to examine those research questions.
Methods: We collected posts on ClassifiedAds.com from the US (August 2019– February 2020). Gender identity was abstracted from post title, when available. HIV risk-related terms were abstracted from post title and content and were used to dichotomise the following variables: (1) ads describing sexual risk behaviours; (2) ads mentioning concerns over substance use or sexually transmitted infections/HIV; and (3) ads mentioning an interest in substance use. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were conducted.
Results: A total of n = 12 866 unique ads were posted; 72.4% posted by men. Most posts came from the southern US (34.7%) and from urban areas (89.6%). Few ads contained images (21.9%) or words associated with substance use (1%), while 26% mentioned substance use or STI/HIV concern. Logistic regression models indicated that ads in the South were less likely to contain substance use or STI/HIV concern than ads from the Midwest. Also, women were less likely than men to post about substance use or mention substance use or STI/HIV concern.
Conclusions: Personal ads offer a glimpse into Internet-mediated sex encounters and sexual health risks among those who seek sex online. The real-time data collected has potential to highlight elevated prevalence of sexual risk behaviours that may put individuals at risk for STI/HIV or substance use.
Keywords: Internet, North America, risk behaviours, sexual experience, sexual health, social media, HIV.
References
[1] Mavragani A. Infodemiology and infoveillance: scoping review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22 e16206| Infodemiology and infoveillance: scoping review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32310818PubMed |
[2] Barros JM, Duggan J, Rebholz-Schuhmann D. The application of internet-based sources for public health surveillance (infoveillance): systematic review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22 e13680
| The application of internet-based sources for public health surveillance (infoveillance): systematic review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32167477PubMed |
[3] Young SD, Jaganath D. Feasibility of using social networking technologies for health research among men who have sex with men: a mixed methods study. Am J Mens Health 2014; 8 6–14.
| Feasibility of using social networking technologies for health research among men who have sex with men: a mixed methods study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23407600PubMed |
[4] Krueger EA, Young SD. Twitter: a novel tool for studying the health and social needs of transgender communities. JMIR Ment Health 2015; 2 e16
| Twitter: a novel tool for studying the health and social needs of transgender communities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26082941PubMed |
[5] Young SD, Mercer N, Weiss RE, et al. Using social media as a tool to predict syphilis. Prev Med 2018; 109 58–61.
| Using social media as a tool to predict syphilis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29278678PubMed |
[6] Rosenbaum MS, Daunt KL, Jiang A. Craigslist exposed: the internet-mediated hookup. J Homosex 2013; 60 505–31.
| Craigslist exposed: the internet-mediated hookup.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23469815PubMed |
[7] Drückler S, van Rooijen MS, de Vries HJC. Chemsex among men who have sex with men: a sexualized drug use survey among clients of the sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic and users of a gay dating app in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Sex Transm Dis 2018; 45 325–31.
| Chemsex among men who have sex with men: a sexualized drug use survey among clients of the sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic and users of a gay dating app in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29465683PubMed |
[8] Beymer MR, Weiss RE, Bolan RK, et al. Sex on demand: geosocial networking phone apps and risk of sexually transmitted infections among a cross-sectional sample of men who have sex with men in Los Angeles county. Sex Transm Infect 2014; 90 567–72.
| Sex on demand: geosocial networking phone apps and risk of sexually transmitted infections among a cross-sectional sample of men who have sex with men in Los Angeles county.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24926041PubMed |
[9] Curtis BL, Lookatch SJ, Ramo DE, et al. Meta-analysis of the association of alcohol-related social media use with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in adolescents and young adults. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42 978–86.
| Meta-analysis of the association of alcohol-related social media use with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in adolescents and young adults.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29786874PubMed |
[10] (49) ClassifiedAds.com: about|LinkedIn. Available at https://www.linkedin.com/company/classifiedads.com/about/ [Accessed 30 January 2022]
[11] Young SD, Rivers C, Lewis B. Methods of using real-time social media technologies for detection and remote monitoring of HIV outcomes. Prev Med 2014; 63 112–5.
| Methods of using real-time social media technologies for detection and remote monitoring of HIV outcomes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24513169PubMed |
[12] Young SD, Yu W, Wang W. Toward automating HIV identification: machine learning for rapid identification of HIV-related social media data. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2017; 74 S128–31.
| Toward automating HIV identification: machine learning for rapid identification of HIV-related social media data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28079723PubMed |
[13] Grov C. Risky sex- and drug-seeking in a probability sample of men-for-men online bulletin board postings. AIDS Behav 2010; 14 1387–92.
| Risky sex- and drug-seeking in a probability sample of men-for-men online bulletin board postings.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20049521PubMed |
[14] Gudelunas D. Online personal ads. J Homosex 2005; 49 1–33.
| Online personal ads.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16048883PubMed |
[15] Young SD, Zheng K, Chu LF, et al. Internet searches for opioids predict future emergency department heroin admissions. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 190 166–9.
| Internet searches for opioids predict future emergency department heroin admissions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30036853PubMed |
[16] Young SD, Zhang Q, Zhou J, et al. Internet search and medicaid prescription drug data as predictors of opioid emergency department visits. npj Digit Med 2021; 4 21
| Internet search and medicaid prescription drug data as predictors of opioid emergency department visits.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 33574500PubMed |
[17] Flores L, Young SD. Regional variation in discussion of opioids on social media. J Addict Dis 2021; 39 316–21.
| Regional variation in discussion of opioids on social media.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 33570000PubMed |
[18] Young SD, Zhang Q, Zeng DD, Zhan Y, Cumberland W. Social media images as an emerging tool to monitor adherence to COVID-19 public health guidelines: a content analysis. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24 e24787
| Social media images as an emerging tool to monitor adherence to COVID-19 public health guidelines: a content analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 34995205PubMed |
[19] Siegel K, Lekas H-M, Onaga M, et al. The strategies of heterosexuals from large metropolitan areas for assessing the risks of exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections from partners met online. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2017; 31 182–95.
| The strategies of heterosexuals from large metropolitan areas for assessing the risks of exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections from partners met online.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28338338PubMed |
