The sexual network and risky sexual behaviours among male migrant workers in China’s gender imbalance context

Abstract

Background In the context of China’s gender imbalance and marriage squeeze, this study measured the overall characteristics of egocentric sexual networks, and examined the associations between sexual network characteristics and risky sexual behaviours, including commercial sex, concurrent partners and homosexual sex, among rural–urban male migrant workers. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on data obtained from 713 Chinese men (age ≥28 years) with rural household registration and who were migrants (or had rural–urban migration experience) in 2017. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between participants’ sexual network characteristics and risky sexual behaviours. Results Adjusting for participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, the sexual network variables of partner age, partner marital status, partner type and relationship stability were found to be significantly associated with commercial sex. Partner type and relationship stability were also associated with concurrent partners and homosexual sex. The network characteristics of male migrant workers not only differed by marital status, but the associations between sexual network characteristics and risky sexual behaviours were more pronounced among unmarried male migrant workers. Conclusions Overall, sexual networks with mixed patterns of partner age, partner marital status, partner type and relationship stability may explain the HIV transmission from male migrants to other populations at the population level. Future research should focus on the determinants of structured sexual networks, and be used to identify key groups at risk for cross-population HIV transmission and implement intervention measures.