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Swipe Right: Dating Website and App Use Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

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Abstract

This study explored the frequency of dating website and app usage among MSM to understand sub-group differences in use. Web-based survey data (N = 3105) were analyzed to assess the use of dating websites and apps. More than half (55.7%) of MSM in this sample were frequent users of dating websites and apps. Two-thirds (66.7%) of frequent users had casual partners only in the past 12 months and reported a high average number of casual sexual partners in the past 12 months (Mdn = 5.0) compared to never users (Mdn = 0.0; χ 2(2) = 734.94, adj. p < .001). The most frequently used dating website or app was Grindr, with 60.2% of the sample reporting some or frequent use. Adam4Adam (23.5%), Jack’d (18.9%) and Scruff (18.7%) were also frequently used. Dating websites and apps may be effective channels to reach a diverse group of MSM with HIV prevention messages.

Resumen

Este estudio exploró la frecuencia de uso de sitios web y aplicaciones para buscar pareja entre hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH), con el fin de comprender las diferencias en el uso entre sub-grupos. Se analizaron datos de una encuesta realizada por internet (N = 3105) para evaluar el uso de dichos sitios y aplicaciones. Más de la mitad (55.7%) de HSH en esta muestra eran usuarios frecuentes de sitios web y aplicaciones para buscar pareja. Dos tercios (66.7%) de los usuarios frecuentes tuvieron únicamente parejas casuales en los 12 meses previos y reportaron un alto número de parejas sexuales casuales en los 12 meses anteriores (Mdn = 5.0), en comparación con quienes nunca habían sido usuarios (Mdn = 0.0; χ 2(2) = 734.94, adj. p < .001). El sitio web o aplicación utilizado con mayor frecuencia fue Grindr, con el 60.2% de la muestra reportando uso ocasional o frecuente. Adam4Adam (23.5%), Jack’d (18.9%) y Scruff (18.7%) también se usaron con frecuencia. Los sitios web y aplicaciones para buscar pareja podrían ser canales efectivos para alcanzar un grupo diverso de HSH con mensajes para la prevención del VIH.

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Acknowledgements

The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We would like to acknowledge and thank Donata Green, Nancy Habarta, Jennifer Uhrig, and Vanessa Boudewyns for their contributions to the survey development and implementation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Hannah J. Badal, Jo Ellen Stryker & David W. Purcell

  2. Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Nickolas DeLuca

  3. Department of Communication Studies, School of Communication, Northwestern University, 710 Lakeshore Drive, 15th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Hannah J. Badal

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  1. Hannah J. Badal
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Correspondence to Hannah J. Badal.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This research was approved by OMB#0920-0920 and the Institutional Review Board (RTI International). This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Badal, H.J., Stryker, J.E., DeLuca, N. et al. Swipe Right: Dating Website and App Use Among Men Who Have Sex With Men. AIDS Behav 22, 1265–1272 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1882-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1882-7

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