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Compulsive Sexual Behavior and Risk for Unsafe Sex Among Internet Using Men Who Have Sex with Men

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Abstract

The present study explored the relationship between compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) for men who have sex with men (MSM) across a number of ethnic/racial groups and who used the Internet to seek sexual partners. A sample of 2,716 MSM (512 Asian, 445 Black, 683 Latino, 348 Other, 728 White) completed on online survey that collected information about their sexual behaviors with partners met online and offline. The survey also included the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI). Consistent with the notion that CSB is a stable trait, higher scores on the CSBI were associated with greater odds for engaging in UAI, regardless of the context in which sex partners were met (online or offline). Differences in median CSB scores were generally similar across racial and ethnic groups. The median CSB score was significantly higher for HIV-positive participants than for HIV-negative participants. HIV-prevention interventions are needed among MSM, but should take into account that some may be resistant to risk reduction strategies because of CSB.

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Notes

  1. A copy of the full instrument is available from B. R. Simon Rosser, HIPS Program, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 1300 South Second St., Minneapolis, MN 55454.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS, grant number 5 R01 MH063688-05. All research was carried out with the approval of the University of Minnesota Institutional Review Board, study number 0405S59661. The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Willo Pequegnat, project officer at NIMH, and Dr. Anne Marie Weber-Main for her critical review and editing of drafts of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1300 S. 2nd Street, Suite 180, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA

    Eli Coleman & Michael Miner

  2. Program for HIV/STI Intervention and Prevention Studies, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Keith J. Horvath, Michael Oakes & B. R. Simon Rosser

  3. Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael W. Ross

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  1. Eli Coleman
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Men’s INTernet Sex (MINTS-II) Team

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Correspondence to Eli Coleman.

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Coleman, E., Horvath, K.J., Miner, M. et al. Compulsive Sexual Behavior and Risk for Unsafe Sex Among Internet Using Men Who Have Sex with Men. Arch Sex Behav 39, 1045–1053 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-009-9507-5

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