Sex-Positivity,Medical Mistrust,and PrEP Conspiracy Beliefs Among HIV-Negative Cisgender Black Sexual Minority Men in Atlanta,Georgia

Because the public health response to the disproportionate HIV burden faced by Black sexual minority men (BSMMM) has focused on sexual risk reduction and disease prevention, other vital components of sexual health (e.g., intimacy, pleasure, benefits of sex) have been often overlooked. Sex-positive describes a more open, holistic approach toward sex and sexuality that prioritizes these other components, though such an approach is rarely applied to BSMM's sexual health. For sex-positive BSMM, risk/preventive discourse may foster or exacerbate medical mistrust as a reaction to the dissonance between how these men view sexual health and how the medical establishment views it, which may discourage sexual healthcare-seeking. We assessed sex-positivity and its association with medical mistrust and PrEP conspiracy beliefs among 206 HIV-negative cisgender BSMM in Atlanta, Georgia. We performed exploratory factor analytic procedures on responses to a sex-positivity scale, followed by multivariable linear regressions to determine sex-positivity’s associations with medical mistrust and PrEP conspiracy beliefs. We extracted two sex-positivity factors: sexual freedom (α?=?0.90), reflecting openness toward casual sex and rejection of sexual mores, and essence of sex (α?=?0.77), reflecting the intimate, relational, and pleasurable qualities of sex. Sexual freedom was independently associated with perceived provider deception (β?=?0.19, CI?=?0.04, 0.34). Essence of sex was independently associated with PrEP conspiracy beliefs (β?=?0.16, CI?=?0.02, 0.31) and marginally associated with perceived provider deception (β?=?0.14, CI?=???0.00, 0.29). Healthcare providers and public health practitioners may cultivate greater trust with BSMM by incorporating a sex-positive approach into patient/participant interactions, clinical decision-making, and interventions. Improving access to sexual pleasure acknowledges BSMM’s right to optimal, holistic sexual health.

     

Examining Rules in Friends with Benefits Relationships

Establishing communicative and behavioral boundaries in romantic relationships provides partners with a greater sense of relational stability and certainty. For romantic relationships, these boundaries, such as sexual exclusivity, are relatively straightforward. For casual sex relationships, however, the relational rules are less stable and certain. This exploratory study examined rules in friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) for 109 college students in the USA. Responses to open-ended questions were collected through an online questionnaire, and data were qualitatively analyzed through an inductive thematic analysis. The data were structured into communication rules, sexual rules, and relational definition rules. Results provide overlap and extension of previous work investigating rules in FWBRs. Notably, participants reported sexual exclusivity as an important rule. Additionally, potentially competing discourses in FWBR rules were best understood through the lens of relational dialectics. Findings reflect a tension in terms of relational work, as partners struggle with maintaining their sexual and friendship relationship while not falling into the “territory” of romantic relationships.

     

Findings From a Community Survey of Individuals Who Engage in Pup Play

Archives of Sexual Behavior - This study presents findings from a community survey on pup play. Pup play is a kink activity and a form of role play that is growing in popularity internationally,...     

Safety and feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: a retrospective comparative analysis of 163 patients

European Surgery - To analyze the benefit and feasibility of single-incisional laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (SIL TEP) repair compared with those of conventional laparoscopic TEP...