Partner meeting venue typology and sexual risk behaviors among French men who have sex with men

Abstract

Previous research has given considerable attention to venues where men who have sex with men (MSM) meet their sex partners. However, no previous study examined a vast range of sexual risk behaviors. The objective of this study was to examine the association between the types of venues for meeting sexual partners, condomless anal intercourse, engagement in group sex, and HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk among a sample of MSM. Users of a popular geosocial-networking app in Paris were provided an advertisement with text encouraging them to complete an anonymous web-based survey ( n = 580), which included questions about sex-seeking venues, condomless anal intercourse, HIV status and STI history, and sociodemographic characteristics. A log-binomial model was used to assess association between venues (i.e. public venues [gay clubs, bars, and discos], cruising venues [such as gay saunas, beaches, and parks], and internet-based venues [internet chat sites and geosocial-networking apps]), condomless anal intercourse, engagement in group sex, and HIV infection as well as infection with other STIs, after adjustment for sociodemographics. In multivariable models, attending cruising venues was associated with condomless receptive anal intercourse (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20–1.81), any kind of condomless anal intercourse (aRR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.14–1.58), an STI (aRR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.09–2.05), engagement in group sex (aRR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.27–1.59), and multiple partners for both condomless insertive (aRR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.38–2.88), and receptive (aRR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.23–2.36) anal intercourse, STI infection (aRR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.09–2.05) and HIV infection (aRR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.05–2.96). No associations were found with other venue types and sexual risk behaviors, STIs, and HIV infection, except for group sex, which was associated with all venue types. Use of cruising where the primary aim is to have sex was found to be associated with risky sexual behavior. Risky behavior reduction strategies such as preexposure prophylaxis campaigns should be targeted to MSM who frequent cruising venues.