Reconsidering the Internet as an HIV/STD Risk for Men Who Have Sex with Men

Authors: Jenness, Samuel¹; Neaigus, Alan²; Hagan, Holly³; Wendel, Travis⁴; Gelpi-Acosta, Camila⁴; Murrill, Christopher²

Source: AIDS and Behavior, Volume 14, Number 6, December 2010 , pp. 1353-1361(9)

Publisher: Springer

Abstract:

Previous studies linking online sexual partnerships to behavioral risks among men who have sex with men (MSM) may be subject to confounding and imprecise measurement of partnership-specific risks. We examined behavioral risks associated with having only online, only offline, or both online and offline partners in the past year, the confounding effects of multiple partnerships, and partnership-specific risks among a sample of MSM from New York City recruited offline in 2008. Overall, 28% of 479 participants had an online partner in the past year, but most of those (82%) also had an offline partner. Having an online partner was associated with past-year unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and other risks, but not after controlling for multiple partnerships. There were slightly higher levels of risk within offline partnerships, but differences were largely attributable to MSM who had both offline and online partners. Last sex partners met offline were more likely to be HIV-serodiscordant and engage in concurrent substance use with the participant. This suggests that online partnerships may not be an independent cause of behavioral risks, but a marker for risks occurring independent of Internet use.

Keywords: HIV; AIDS; MSM; Behavioral risk; Internet; Online

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9769-x

Affiliations: 1: HIV Epidemiology Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 346 Broadway, Suite 707D, New York, NY, 10013, USA, Email: sjenness@health.nyc.gov 2: HIV Epidemiology Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 346 Broadway, Suite 707D, New York, NY, 10013, USA 3: College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA 4: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., New York, NY, USA

Publication date: 2010-12-01

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• In this Subject: Allergy & Immunology ,  Public Health ,  Psychology
• By this author: Jenness, Samuel ;  Neaigus, Alan ;  Hagan, Holly ;  Wendel, Travis ;  Gelpi-Acosta, Camila ;  Murrill, Christopher

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