Gay Apps Research Articles

Recreational Drug Use among Chinese MSM and Transgender Individuals: Results from a National Online Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundRecreational drug use has increased considerably among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). The phenomenon has the potentially to increase HIV transmission among Chinese MSM. The aims of this study were: 1) to investigate the prevalence of recreational drug use among Chinese MSM, and 2) to explore the correlation between gay smartphone based sex-seeking applications (gay apps), HIV/STIs testing, group sex, commercial sex, sexual roles and poppers use among Chinese MSM.MethodsMSM who were born biologically male, were at least 16 years of age and had engaged in anal sex with a man at least once were recruited through a nation-wide online survey in 2014. Information regarding socio-demographics, risk behaviors, recreational drug use, HIV and other STIs testing history and gay app use were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine factors associated with recreational drug use among Chinese MSM.ResultsAmong 1424 participating MSM, 1100 (77.3%) reported ever using recreational drugs in their lifetime. In the last 12 months, 303 (21.3%) used poppers, 34 (2.4%) used crystal meth and 15 (1.0%) used ecstasy. The mean age of respondents was 25.6±6.8 years, 72.9% identified as gay, 41.3% were students, and 83.8% had never been married. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that compared with non-popper users, popper users were more likely to have been tested for HIV (adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.15–1.96) and other STIs (aOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.26–2.17). In addition, popper users were more likely to engage in group sex (aOR = 2.63, 95% CI:1.80–3.86), commercial sex (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI:1.13–3.06) and used gay mobile apps to seek sexual partners (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI:1.58–2.80).ConclusionChinese MSM has a high rate of recreational drug use, including poppers. Public health programs serving MSM may consider integrating intervention programs to decrease recreational drug use related harms.

Recreational drug use among Chinese MSM: results from a national-wide cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn the past decade, recreational drug use has considerably increased among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). This increase has a great potential to worsen the scenario of the heavy burden of HIV among Chinese MSM. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of recreational drug use, and to explore the association between poppers use and testing history for HIV or STIs, gay app use, and other sexual behaviours. MethodsWe recruited MSM who were born male and were aged 16 years or older through a nation-wide online survey in 2014. We collected information regarding socio-demographics, risk behaviours, recreational drug use, sexual orientation, testing history for HIV and other STIs, and gay app use. We did univariate and multivariate analyses to determine factors associated with recreational drug use among Chinese MSM. Written informed consent was gained from each participants, and the ethical approval was obtained from institution review committees in China and the United States. FindingsAmong 1424 participating MSM, 1100 (77%) had used any recreational drugs in their life-time. In the past 12 months, 303 (21%) had used poppers, 34 (2%) had used crystal meth, and 15 (1%) had used ecstasy. The mean age of all participants was 25·6 years (SD 6·8), 1038 (73%) were self-identified as gay, 588 (41%) were students, and 1194 (84%) had never been married. Multiple logistic regression revealed that compared with non-poppers users, poppers users were more likely to have been tested for HIV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1·50, 95% CI 1·15–1·96) and for other STIs except HIV (1·65, 1·26–2·17). Additionally, poppers users were more likely to engage in group sex (2·63, 1·80–3·86) or in commercial sex (1·86, 1·13–3·06), and to use gay apps for partner seeking (2·10, 1·58–2·80). InterpretationHigh-risk MSM in China have a high rate of recreational drug use. Public health programmes serving MSM may consider integration of interventions to decrease harms associated with recreational drug use. FundingThis work was supported by National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 1R01AI114310 to JT and CW); UNC-South China STD Research Training Centre (Fogarty International Centre 1D43TW009532 to JT); UNC Center for AIDS Research (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5P30AI050410 to JT); University of California San Francisco Centre for AIDS Research (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases P30 AI027763 to CW); National Institute of Mental Health (R00MH093201 to CW); the UNC Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins University, Morehead School of Medicine and Tulane University (UJMT) Fogarty Fellowship (FIC R25TW0093 to WT). This publication was also supported by Grant Number UL1TR001111 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health. These funders played no role in any step of this study.

Gay mobile apps and the evolving virtual risk environment: a cross-sectional online survey among men who have sex with men in China

ObjectivesThe expansion of gay sex-seeking application (gay app) use among men who have sex with men (MSM) may create new virtual risk environments that facilitate STI transmission. The goals of...

Gay mobile apps and the evolving virtual risk environment: a cross-sectional online survey among men who have sex with men in China

Gay mobile apps and the evolving virtual risk environment: a cross-sectional online survey among men who have sex with men in China

Sexual risk behaviors among apps-using young men who have sex with men in Hong Kong

ABSTRACTThis study is among the first to examine the sexual risk behaviors and attendant factors of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Hong Kong using location-aware gay social networking mobile applications (“gay apps”). Among the 213 YMSM (Mage = 21.52, SD = 2.29 years, range 17–25) who reported their recent (past six months) sexual history with male partners and gay apps use, inconsistent condom use (ICU) during anal sex was fairly common (60.2% regular partners, 45.8% non-regular partners). One-fifth of the sample reported condomless internal ejaculation (CIE) during anal sex (19.3% insertive, 19.8% receptive). Frequent “Grindr” and “Jack'd” users were less likely to report anal sex, and hence ICU, with regular [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.72] and non-regular (AOR = 0.62) partners, respectively. Sexual partnering via apps doubled the odds of ICU with both regular (AOR = 1.99) and non-regular (AOR = 2.17) partners. The odds of ICU with regular partners also increased with relationship status (AOR = 2.86 exclusive, AOR = 3.23 non-exclusive) but reduced for those who never had STI/HIV testing (AOR = 0.27). With non-regular partners, YMSM's likelihood of ICU increased with more recent partners (AOR = 3.25) and drug use (AOR = 3.79), but reduced with group sex (AOR = 0.15). The odds of receptive CIE increased with alcohol consumption (AOR = 4.04), non-exclusive relationship (AOR = 4.10), and more recent partners (AOR = 2.47), but reduced with group sex (AOR = 0.15) and older age (AOR = 0.84). For insertive CIE, the odds increased with bisexual YMSM (AOR = 2.89), exclusive relationship (AOR = 3.97), and longtime apps-use (AOR = 1.81). The findings identify meaningful differences among YMSM app-users that inform sexual health intervention and suggest attention on alcohol or drug use during sex and condomless sex with non-exclusive regular partners.

Gay Apps for Seeking Sex Partners in China: Implications for MSM Sexual Health.

Anti-gay stigma and harsh local environments in many low and middle-income countries (LMIC) encourage men who have sex with men (MSM) partner-seeking mobile application (gay app) use. To investigate the sexual risk profiles of gay app users and guide future HIV prevention programs, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 1,342 MSM in China examining associations between gay app use and sexual behaviors, including HIV and sexually transmitted disease testing. Compared to non-app users, app users were more likely to be younger, better educated, "out" about their sexual orientation, and single. They were also more likely to report multiple recent sex partners and HIV testing, but there was no difference in condomless sex between the two groups. Future research among MSM in LMIC is needed to characterize gay app use and explore its potential for future public health interventions.

Location-Based Gay Communication: An Empirical Study of Smartphone Gay Apps Use in Macau

The rapid growth of the new media technologies incubated on smartphone and other open-platform devices is changing the landscape of mobile computing, which increasingly meets users’ information and communication needs. The location-based service (LBS) applications have become a prominent platform for their social networking, relationship maintenance and build up sense of community for minority groups like gays. This paper aims to probe the using of smartphone gay apps in Macau with the theoretical prism of symbolic convergence and media-richness. Accurately narrowed its study object to gay apps users around Macau, the current study presents how do the gay apps users reconstruct their “imaged communities” and face the changes brought by LBS technologies on their daily lives.