Abstract
Men who have sex with men (MSM) frequently meet sex partners through dating apps. Research has demonstrated an association between app use and greater number of sex partners and STIs, but dating apps also pose an opportunity for intervention. By advocating for sexual health features on dating apps, Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC) aims to increase communication about sexual health among app users. In partnership with Emory University, BHOC added questions to an annual survey of MSM. The questions assessed awareness and uptake of profile fields and sexual health features on the dating apps. Among survey participants, 67% (6737/10,129) reported using dating apps to meet a partner in the past year. Among this group, 77% (4993/6525) reported awareness of sexual health features. 61% of app users (2866/4721) who were aware of them reported using one or more sexual health features. BHOC continues to advocate for increased uptake of these features.
Highlights
Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to experience a disproportionate burden of HIV infection [1, 2]
Of the 10,129 MSM who answered the American Men’s Internet Survey (AMIS)-2018 survey, 6737 (66.5%) reported using dating websites or apps to meet other men in the past 12 months. Of those respondents who answered the questions about awareness of profile options, approximately three quarters (4993/6525, 76.5%) responded that they were aware of profile options to indicate preferred sexual health strategies (Table 1)
Age was significantly associated with awareness, with those in the 30–39 age group having the highest awareness as compared to other age groups, and those age 24 and under having the lowest awareness
Summary
Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to experience a disproportionate burden of HIV infection [1, 2]. As compiled in one meta-analysis, have explored HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission risk among app-using MSM [8]. There is some evidence that MSM who use apps to meet partners are more likely to engage in condomless anal sex, have a higher number of sex partners and experience higher incidence of STIs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, as compared to those who Building Healthy Online Communities, Springboard HealthLab, 5601 Van Fleet Ave, Richmond, CA 94804, USA. Other studies are more equivocal and have found that meeting partners online is not predictive of sexual risk behaviors [11,12,13,14] It is unclear whether meeting partners online promotes highrisk behaviors or merely facilitates these behaviors among those who would be engaging in it regardless of their app use [15, 16]. With a high volume of users, an efficient way to facilitate meeting new partners, expand sexual networks and connect users to prevention interventions and messaging, these apps have many features that can facilitate transmission as well as reduce it through providing structural features which facilitate communication among users regarding sexual health
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
