Psychosocial and behavioral correlates of seeking sex partners on the internet among hiv-positive men

Abstract

The Internet is revolutionizing how people access and use information; for some people, the Internet is also redefining interpersonal relationships, including sexual relationships. The objective of this study was to extend the understanding of HIV-positive men who use the Internet to meet sex partners. This study examined the use of the Internet for meeting sex partners among 141 sexually active HIV-positive men who completed anonymous surveys. Results showed that 37% of sexually active HIV-positive men who were using the Internet had gone online to seek potential sex partners in the previous 3 months. Seeking sex partners online was associated with greater likelihood of having HIV-negative sex partners and engaging in unprotected intercourse with HIV-negative or unknown HIV status partners. Multivariate analyses showed that seeking sex partners online was associated with greater education, higher CD4 cell counts, using the Internet for sexual entertainment, and higher Sexual Compulsivity scale scores over and above demographic, health, Internet use, sexual behavior, and other psychosocial characteristics including optimism and depression. Results suggest a continued need for interventions targeting HIV transmission risk reduction among HIV-positive men who use the Internet to meet potential sex partners.