Grindr, Scruff, and on the search: Predictors of Condomless rectal intercourse, websites usage, and mobile phone Application usage Among people that have gender With guys

Darren L. Whitfield

1 Institution of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Shanna K. Kattari

2 College of Denver, Denver, CO, United States Of America

N. Eugene Structure

2 University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States Of America

Alia Al-Tayyib

3 Denver Wellness, Denver, CO, American

Abstract

In 2021, gay, bisexual, and other males that sex with people (MSM) comprise more than half of all newer HIV diagnoses in the us, using major setting of disease becoming condomless anal intercourse (CAS). While scientific studies report an association between use of Internet-based social network internet and increased CAS, the investigation throughout the connection between mobile phone cellphone software (elizabeth.g., Grindr, Scruff, Jack’d) and CAS is a lot much less created. The current learn examines whether or not the manner in which gay, bisexual, alongside MSM look for sexual associates predicts a rise in likelihood of doing CAS in an urban, noncoastal U.S. area. Conducting a second data comparison with the 2011 nationwide HIV behavior security survey for Denver (N = 546), the authors done binary logistic regression analyses to evaluate the models that anticipate how MSM find intimate couples, additionally the probability of participating in CAS. As the outcome suggest that years and battle are from the setting to find sexual associates, online or a mobile application to obtain intimate associates had not been predictive of CAS (Z_Wald = .41, p = .52; Z_Wald = .80, p = .37). When it comes to HIV cures, these results advise a need for input to address HIV prevention on multiple degrees (e.g., individual, group, area).

HIV Incidence Among MSM

In the United States, you’ll find around 1.2 million individuals managing the human immunodeficiency malware (HIV; stores for Disease controls and protection [CDC], 2015). In 2014, there were more or less 44,073 brand-new HIV attacks (CDC, 2015). The HIV epidemic in the United States is a concentrated epidemic wherein some communities men and women are highly influenced, and other populations tend to be less likely to want to feel diagnosed with herpes. In the us, those oftentimes impacted by HIV feature homosexual, bisexual, as well as other men that gender with men (MSM), people exactly who inject medication, and high-risk heterosexuals (CDC, 2013).

MSM include the biggest population of men and women suffering from HIV/AIDS in the United States. While MSM portray about 4% from the mature U.S. populace, MSM accounted for 67percent of all of the new HIV diagnoses in 2014 (CDC, 2015). MSM diagnoses account fully for much of HIV diagnoses among all guys living with HIV, comprising 83% of all freshly diagnosed guys in 2014 (CDC, 2015), and MSM make up the majority of the prevalence of HIV in america. In 2013, of those living with HIV, 57per cent had been MSM (CDC, 2015). HIV indication danger cannot, but accrue evenly across subpopulations around the MSM people, as latest HIV diagnoses happen disproportionately in racial/ethnic fraction groups. Between 2005 and 2014, HIV diagnoses among African US MSM rose by 22percent and diagnoses among Latino/Hispanic MSM improved by 24% (CDC, 2015).

Colorado’s HIV epidemic mirrors that of the national HIV epidemiological profile. In 2013, there have been 328 new HIV diagnoses into the county, that 217 (66.2%) happened to be people that happened to be categorized as MSM (Colorado section of community health insurance and Environment [CDPHE], 2015). Like nationwide styles, Black and Hispanic MSM have disproportionate HIV diagnoses rates in Colorado (CDPHE, 2015). Ebony MSM made up 11% of brand new HIV diagnoses from 2009 to 2013 but 4percent on the society inside state, and Hispanic MSM composed 28per cent of new diagnoses but made up 21percent with the populace (CDPHE, 2015).

Possibility Elements for HIV Among MSM

As expressed above, HIV diagnoses become finest among MSM in america. Several issues elements become from the overrepresentation of MSM who are HIV contaminated. First, it is estimated that half all new HIV diagnoses were sent by persons unaware they have been HIV good (hallway, Holtgrave, & Maulsby, 2012), and more or less a quarter of all HIV-positive MSM have an undiagnosed infection (CDC, 2012). Behaviorally, the maximum HIV transmission risk for MSM is actually condomless receptive rectal intercourse with an estimated transmission rates of 138 per 10,000 exposures (Patel et al., 2014), followed by condomless insertive anal sex with an estimated sign rates of 11 per 10,000 exposures (Patel et al., 2014). Having a sexually transmitted illness (STI) also escalates the probability of obtaining or transmitting HIV. Link between the 2014 nationwide HIV Behavioral monitoring (NHBS) study reported 14percent of HIV-positive-unaware MSM had syphilis (CDC, 2016b). Moreover, medicine and alcoholic beverages utilize have-been involving high-risk sexual actions among MSM (Vosburgh, Hansergh, Sullivan, & Purcell, 2012). While 46per cent of HIV-positive-unaware individuals reported binge consuming and 10% of HIV-positive-unaware MSM reported noninjection methamphetamine usage (CDC, 2016b).