Prevalence and risk behaviors of Chinese men who seek same-sex partners via the internet in Hong Kong
Lau, J.T.F.; Kim, J.H.; Lau, M.; Tsui, H.Y.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education 15(6): 516-528
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 14711165 DOI: 10.1521/aeap.15.7.516.24046Document Number: 250691
To examine the prevalence of Internet sex networking among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong and risk behaviors associated with the behavior, a telephone survey of 15,230 Hong Kong Chinese men aged 18-60 was conducted. Of the 283 active MSM (having engaged in some MSM behaviors in the last 6 months) identified, 17.7% had networked for MSM partners via the Internet in the last 6 months. Younger age (odds ratio [OR] for age < or = 25 vs. age >25 = 4.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.35-9.28) and being an anal-sex MSM (OR = 4.72, 95% CI=2.36-9.44) were independent predictors of Internet sex networking. Being an Internet sex networker was associated with some risk behaviors such as having contracted a sexually transmitted disease (adjusted OR = 4.79, 95% CI = 1.34-17.11), having had > or = 3 MSM partners (adjusted OR = 4.74, 95% CI = 2.20-10.23), and having engaged in anal sex (adjusted OR = 3.95, 95% CI = 1.89-8.23). HIV prevention programs for MSM should thereby include Internet-based interventions.