Are Sexual Partners Met Online Associated With HIV/STI Risk Behaviors? Retrospective and Daily Diary Data in Conflict

The study author explored the association between Internet sex-seeking and sexual risk-taking among men who have sex with men using both retrospective and daily diary methodology.

Participants recruited through a variety of Internet sites completed retrospective questionnaires on their history of Internet use to seek sex partners and their engagement in sexual risk-taking behaviors. In addition, the men completed daily diaries for up to 30 days, which assessed if partners were met through the Internet and what types of sexual contact occurred. The daily diary data were analyzed using multilevel modeling.

The retrospective and daily diary data produced opposite results, the analysis showed. In the retrospective data, a history of Internet sex-seeking was associated with greater numbers of sexual partners in the prior year, one-time sex partners, sex without condoms, and failure to discuss partners' sexual histories. The daily diary data showed that unprotected anal intercourse was less likely to occur with partners met online than with partners met by other means.

"These data suggest that men who engage in high-risk sex with other men use the Internet as a tool for meeting sexual partners, not that meeting partners online causes high-risk sex," Mustanski concluded.

Back to other news for August 2007