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Network Influences on the Sexual Risk Behaviors of Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Using Geosocial Networking Applications

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Abstract

Geosocial networking applications (GSN apps) have become increasingly popular among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Our study sought to understand whether inclusion of individuals met via GSN apps in participants’ social networks was associated with increased HIV risk behaviors among a probability sample of GSN app using MSM (N = 295) recruited in Los Angeles, California. Approximately 20 % of participants included a GSN app-met individual as one of their top five closest social network members. Those with a GSN app-met network member had more recent (past 30-day) sexual partners (B = 1.21, p < 0.05), were nearly twice as likely to have engaged in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with their last sexual partner (AOR = 2.02, p < 0.05), and were nearly four times as likely to have engaged in UAI with their last GSN app-met sexual partner (AOR = 3.98, p < 0.001). Network-based interventions delivered via GSN apps may be useful in preventing the spread of HIV among MSM.

Resumen

Las aplicaciones de redes geosociales (apps GSN – por sus siglas en inglés, geosocial networking applications) han aumentado en popularidad entre hombres homosexuales, bisexuales y otros hombres que sostienen relaciones sexuales con otros hombres (MSM – por sus siglas en inglés, men who have sex with men). Nuestra investigación buscaba entender si la inclusión de parejas sexuales conocidas a través de apps GSN en las redes sociales de los participantes estaba asociada con un mayor riesgo de VIH dentro de una muestra de probabilidad de MSM usuarios de apps GSN (N = 295) reclutados en Los Ángeles, California. Aproximadamente el 20 % de los participantes incluyó a una pareja conocida en un app GSN dentro de los cinco miembros más cercanos de su red social. Aquellos con parejas sexuales conocidas a través de un app GSN tenían más parejas sexuales recientes (en los últimos 30 días), (B = 1.21, p < 0.05), era dos veces más probable que huberian tenido sexo anal sin protección con su última pareja sexual (AOR = 2.02, p < 0.05), y era cuatro veces más probable que hubieran tenido sexo anal sin protección con la última pareja sexual conocida a través de un app GSN (AOR = 3.98, p < 0.001). Intervenciones basadas en redes sociales distribuidas a través de apps GSN podrían ser útiles para prevenir el contagio de VIH entre los MSM.

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Acknowledgments

This work was also supported by the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment (CHIPTS) NIMH Grant MH58107; the UCLA Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Grant AI028697; and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through UCLA CSTI Grant UL1TR000124. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. The authors would like to thank Joshua Rusow and Diane Tan for their assistance with manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Ian W. Holloway.

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Holloway, I.W., Pulsipher, C.A., Gibbs, J. et al. Network Influences on the Sexual Risk Behaviors of Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Using Geosocial Networking Applications. AIDS Behav 19 (Suppl 2), 112–122 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0989-3

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