Overall results of the online survey displayed as total and according to PrEP use reported
| Total sample (n=814) | PrEP users (n=612) | No PrEP users (n=202) | P value | |
| Median, years (IQR) | 40 (33–48) | 41 (34–49) | 38 (30–46) | <0.001 |
| White ethnicity, n (%) | 678 (83.3) | 520 (85.0) | 158 (78.2) | 0.03 |
| Reported PrEP use, n (%) | 612 (75.2) | – | – | – |
| Individuals reporting to have been sexually active, n (%) | 621/814 (76.3) | 475/612 (77.6) | 146/202 (72.3) | 0.12 |
| Individuals reporting to have been sexually active only within household, n (%) | 146/621 (23.5) | 98/475 (20.6) | 48/146 (32.9) | <0.001 |
| Median number sex partners, n (IQR) | 3 (1–5) | 3 (1–6) | 2 (1–4) | <0.001 |
| Number of sex partners reported during lockdown and compared with a period long 3 months prior lockdown was | ||||
| Fewer, n (%) | 465/621 (74.9) | 363/475 (76.4) | 91/146 (62.3) | <0.001 |
| Same number, n (%) | 82/621 (13.2) | 50/475 (10.5) | 32/146 (21.9) | – |
| More, n (%) | 67/621 (10.8) | 54/475 (11.4) | 13/146 (8.9) | – |
| Individuals who reported having done more ‘sextin’ during lockdown, n (%) | 321/814 (39.4) | 205/612 (33.5) | 73/202 (36.1) | 0.49 |
| Individuals who reported having done more ‘videosex’ during lockdown, n (%) | 158/814 (19.4) | 97/612 (15.8) | 41/202 (20.3) | 0.14 |
| Individuals feeling their sex drive increased during lockdown, n (%) | 307/814 (37.7) | 233/612 (38.1) | 74/202 (36.6) | 0.71 |
| Individuals feeling their sex drive decreased during lockdown, n (%) | 214/814 (26.3) | 166/612 (27.1) | 48/202 (23.8) | 0.35 |
| Individuals feeling they had less sex than they would have liked due to fear of being judged by others, n (%) | 344/814 (42.3) | 277/612 (45.3) | 67/202 (33.2) | 0.002 |
| Individuals who engaged in chemsex during lockdown, n (%) (total) | 157/814 (19.3) | 132/612 (21.6) | 25/202 (12.4) | 0.004 |
| Individuals reporting more chemsex than usual during lockdown, n (%) | 42/157 (26.8) | 38/132 (28.8) | 4/25 (16.0) | 0.24 |
| Individuals reporting less chemsex than usual during lockdown, n (%) | 105/157 (66.9) | 87/132 (65.9) | 18/25 (72.0) | – |
| Individuals reporting to have tried chemsex for the first-time during lockdown, n (%) | 10/157 (6.4) | 7/132 (5.3) | 3/25 (12.0) | – |
| Of those who had sex with someone outside their households, the reasons contributing to have sex were | ||||
| Chemsex use, n (%) | 67/475 (14.1) | 61/377 (16.2) | 6/98 (6.1) | 0.01 |
| Feeling bored, n (%) | 136/475 (28.6) | 119/377 (31.6) | 17/98 (17.3) | 0.10 |
| Feeling stressed and/or anxious, n (%) | 128/475 (26.9) | 106/377 (28.1) | 22/98 (22.4) | 0.26 |
| Feeling isolated and/or lonely, n (%) | 229/475 (48.2) | 192/377 (50.9) | 37/98 (37.8) | 0.01 |
| Being a sex worker, n (%) | 5/475 (1.1) | 5/377 (1.3) | – | – |
| Having started sex work as a result of financial hardship, n (%) | 8/475 (1.7) | 6/377 (1.6) | 2/98 (2.0) | 0.78 |
| Having a high desire for sex (feeling ‘horny’), n (%) | 33/475 (6.9) | 23/377 (6.1) | 10/98 (10.2) | 0.16 |
| Individuals who discussed the risk of COVID-19 transmission with a sexual partner outside their household, n (%) | 345/475 (72.6) | 276/377 (73.2) | 69/98 (70.4) | 0.58 |
| Measures taken to limit COVID-19 transmission during sex, among those who have been sexually active | ||||
| Having sex with only people living in the household, n (%) | 121/621 (19.5) | 83/475 (17.5) | 38/146 (26.0) | 0.01 |
| Having sex with only one person not part of the household, n (%) | 131/621 (21.1) | 94/475 (19.8) | 37/146 (25.3) | 0.07 |
| Meeting sex partners who are close geographically (ie, a neighbour), n (%) | 174/621 (28.0) | 145/475 (30.5) | 29/146 (19.9) | 0.006 |
| 'Hosting' instead of travelling to another persons’ home to have sex, n (%) | 111/621 (17.9) | 90/475 (18.9) | 21/146 (14.4) | 0.1 |
| Moving in with someone in order to have sex with them (ie, forming a 'bubble'), n (%) | 38/621 (6.1) | 28/475 (5.9) | 10/146 (6.8) | 0.34 |
| Steps taken during sex to try and reduce the transmission of COVID-19 | ||||
| Wearing PPE (face masks and gloves), n (%) | 34/621 (5.5) | 27/475 (5.7) | 7/146 (4.8) | 0.68 |
| Using condoms (where previously their use was inconsistent), n (%) | 47/621 (7.6) | 30/475 (6.3) | 17/146 (11.6) | 0.03 |
| Washing hands before sex, n (%) | 298/621 (48.0) | 233/475 (49.1) | 65/146 (44.5) | 0.34 |
| Washing hands after sex, n (%) | 280/621 (45.1) | 216/475 (45.5) | 64/146 (43.8) | 0.73 |
| Having sex in positions which reduce face-to-face contact, n (%) | 86/621 (13.8) | 69/475 (14.5) | 17/146 (11.6) | 0.38 |
| Using cruising spots or other outdoor areas, n (%) | 72/621 (11.6) | 60/475 (12.6) | 12/146 (8.2) | 0.14 |
| Attempting physical distancing measures (ie, using ‘glory holes’), n (%) | 13/621 (2.1) | 11/475 (2.3) | 2/146 (1.4) | 0.48 |
| Avoiding contact with bodily fluids such as spit or semen, n (%) | 44/621 (7.1) | 32/475 (6.7) | 11/146 (7.5) | 0.74 |
| Avoiding kissing, n (%) | 86/621 (13.8) | 69/475 (14.5) | 17/146 (11.6) | 0.38 |
| Not taking any steps, n (%) | 12/621 (1.9) | 10/475 (2.1) | 2/146 (1.4) | 0.58 |
| Individuals intending to adapt their sexual practice to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission as lockdown eases, n (%) | 420/814 (51.6) | 312/610 (51.1) | 108/202 (53.5) | 0.57 |
| Feelings triggered after having had sex during lockdown | ||||
| Guilt, n (%) | 120/621 (19.3) | 93/475 (19.6) | 27/146 (18.5) | 0.77 |
| Regret, n (%) | 87/621 (14.0) | 65/475 (13.7) | 22/146 (15.1) | 0.67 |
| Worry of having been exposed to COVID-19, n (%) | 199/621 (32.0) | 162/475 (34.1) | 37/146 (25.3) | 0.05 |
| Worry of having transmitted COVID-19, n (%) | 149/621 (24.0) | 125/475 (26.3) | 24/146 (16.4) | 0.01 |
| Nothing different than usual, n (%) | 285/621 (45.9) | 214/475 (45.1) | 71/146 (48.6) | 0.45 |
| Accessing SHS during lockdown | ||||
| Individuals who accessed SHS (either online testing or sexual health clinics), n (%) | 293/814 (36.0) | 248/612 (40.5) | 45/202 (22.3) | <0.001 |
| Individuals who were seen in a SHS and felt able to honestly discuss details about their sex experiences while in lockdown, n (%) | 273/293 (93.2) | 230/248 (92.7) | 43/45 (95.6) | 0.49 |
| Individuals who experienced difficulties in access testing and/or treatment in an SHS during lockdown, n (%) | 81/268 (30.2) | 59/226 (26.1) | 22/42 (52.4) | <0.001 |
| Individuals who received a STI diagnosis during lockdown (among those who accessed SHS), n (%) | 225/293 (76.8) | 191/248 (77.0) | 34/45 (75.6) | 0.42 |
PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis; SHS, sexual healthcare service.