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Factors Influencing HIV Serodisclosure Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the US: An Examination of Online Versus Offline Meeting Environments and Risk Behaviors

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Abstract

One key component in HIV prevention is serostatus disclosure. Until recently, many studies have focused on interpersonal factors and minimally considered meeting venues as they pertain to disclosure. Using data (N = 3,309) from an online survey conducted across 16 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, we examined whether HIV serodisclosure varies by online/offline meeting venues in both protected and unprotected anal intercourse encounters. Most of the sample (76.9 %) reported meeting men for sex (last 90 days) both online and offline, versus 12.7 % offline only and 10.4 % online only. After controlling for other variables, we found that the men who meet partners in both online and offline were 20~30 % more likely to report disclosing their HIV status prior to sex than men who met their partners exclusively either offline or online. While previous studies have identified the Internet as a risk environment, our findings suggest bi-environmental partner seeking may also have beneficial effects.

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Acknowledgments

This study was undertaken as part of the “Structural Interventions to Lower Alcohol-Related STI/HIV Risk,” Grant Number R01AA01627001, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, WBOB-300, 1300 2nd St South, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA

    Syed W. B. Noor & B. R. Simon Rosser

  2. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Krystal Rampalli

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  1. Syed W. B. Noor
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Correspondence to Syed W. B. Noor.

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Noor, S.W.B., Rampalli, K. & Rosser, B.R.S. Factors Influencing HIV Serodisclosure Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the US: An Examination of Online Versus Offline Meeting Environments and Risk Behaviors. AIDS Behav 18, 1638–1650 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0774-3

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