The Relationship between Online Social Networking and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

Sean D Young,Greg Szekeres,Thomas Coates,Mark R Muldoon

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062271

Sean D Young, Greg Szekeres + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062271

Copy DOI

Journal: PLoS ONE	Publication Date: May 1, 2013
Citations: 82	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles

Abstract

Online social networking usage is growing rapidly, especially among at-risk populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). However, little research has studied the relationship between online social networking usage and sexual risk behaviors among at-risk populations. One hundred and eighteen Facebook-registered MSM (60.1% Latino, 28% African American; 11.9% other) were recruited from online (social networking websites and banner advertisements) and offline (local clinics, restaurants and organizations) venues frequented by minority MSM. Inclusion criteria required participants to be men who were 18 years of age or older, had had sex with a man in the past 12 months, were living in Los Angeles, and had a Facebook account. Participants completed an online survey on their social media usage and sexual risk behaviors. Results from a multivariable regression suggest that number of sexual partners met from online social networking technologies is associated with increased: 1) likelihood of having exchanged sex for food, drugs, or a place to stay within the past 3 months; 2) number of new partners within the past 3 months; 3) number of male sex partners within the past 3 months; and 4) frequency of engaging in oral sex within the past 3 months, controlling for age, race, education, and total number of sexual partners. Understanding the relationship between social media sex-seeking and sexual risk behaviors among at-risk populations will help inform population-focused HIV prevention and treatment interventions.

Highlights

Within the United States, a disproportionate number of incident HIV infections and new diagnoses of HIV lie within men who have sex with men (MSM)
Among MSM in the United States, Latinos accounted for 20% of new infections and African Americans accounted for 37% of new infections [4]
English-speaking Latinos are almost identical to Whites in their use of Internet and home broadband [10], and African Americans and Latinos are more likely than Whites to access the Internet from mobile devices [11]

Summary

Introduction

Within the United States, a disproportionate number of incident HIV infections and new diagnoses of HIV (e.g., cases detected long after incident infection) lie within men who have sex with men (MSM). Among MSM in the United States, Latinos accounted for 20% of new infections and African Americans accounted for 37% of new infections [4]. Online technologies have been rapidly growing in use and may play a role in facilitating sexual risk behaviors, especially among at-risk populations [5,6]. In the United States, from 2005 to 2006, there was a 121% increase in the number of African American households with high-speed Internet connections and a 46% increase in Latino households with broadband usage, with 56% of Latinos using the Internet on a daily basis [8,9]. English-speaking Latinos are almost identical to Whites in their use of Internet and home broadband [10], and African Americans and Latinos are more likely than Whites to access the Internet from mobile devices [11]

Methods

Results

Conclusion