Prevalence and risk behaviors of Chinese men who seek same-sex partners via the internet in Hong Kong. |
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| Authors: | Joseph T F Lau Jean H Kim Mason Lau H Y Tsui |
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| Institution: | Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. jlau@cuhk.edu.hk |
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| Abstract: | 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. |
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