Condom use social norms and self-efficacy with different kinds of male partners among Chinese men who have sex with men: results from an online survey

ObjectiveTo understand how the emerging public health issue of chemsex relates to broader patterns of sexualised drug use (SDU) among men who have sex with men (MSM), which has been understudied.MethodsPotential participants were invited to take part in an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey through Facebook advertising and community organisations’ social media posts (April–June 2018). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare MSM who engaged in recent SDU (past 12 months) with those who did not, and those who engaged in chemsex (γ-hydroxybutyrate/γ-butyrolactone, crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone, ketamine) with those who engaged in other SDU (eg, poppers, cocaine, cannabis).ResultsOf the 1648 MSM included, 41% reported recent SDU; 15% of these (6% of total, n=99) reported chemsex. Factors associated with SDU were recent STI diagnosis (aOR=2.44, 95% CI 1.58 to 3.76), sexual health clinic attendance (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.90 to 3.20), image and performance-enhancing drug use (aOR=3.82, 95% CI 1.87 to 7.82), greater number of condomless anal male partners, lower satisfaction with life and greater sexual satisfaction. Predictors of chemsex compared with other SDU were not being UK-born (aOR=2.02, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.86), living in a densely populated area (aOR=2.69, 95% CI 1.26 to 5.74), low sexual self-efficacy (aOR=4.52, 95% CI 2.18 to 9.40) and greater number of condomless anal male partners. Living with HIV, taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and experiencing or being unsure of experiencing sexual contact without consent were significantly associated with SDU and chemsex in bivariate analyses but not in the multivariable.ConclusionHealth and behavioural differences were observed between MSM engaging in chemsex, those engaging in SDU and those engaging in neither. While some MSM engaging in chemsex and SDU appeared content with these behaviours, the association with life satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy indicates psychosocial support is needed for some. The association with sexual risk and sexual consent also indicates the importance of promoting harm reduction among this population (eg, condoms, PrEP, drug knowledge).

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Condom use peer norms and self-efficacy as mediators between community engagement and condom use among Chinese men who have sex with men

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-017-4662-4 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Haochu Li ◽

Li Xue ◽

Joseph D. Tucker ◽

Chongyi Wei ◽

Maya Durvasula ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Condom Use ◽

Community Engagement ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Peer Norms ◽

Chinese Men ◽

Sex With Men

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Effectiveness of a prevention program for immigrant Latino men who have sex with men in Canada: Results of a pilot study

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality ◽

10.3138/cjhs.2020-0054 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. e20200054

Author(s):

Beatriz E. Alvarado ◽

Jorge Luis Martinez-Cajas ◽

Barry D. Adam ◽

Trevor Hart

Keyword(s):

Condom Use ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Individual Counseling ◽

Latino Men ◽

Behavioral Skills ◽

Counseling Intervention ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Negative

This study piloted the GPS (Gay-Positive Sex) Latino program for men who have sex with men (MSM) who immigrated to Canada. GPS Latino is an individual counseling intervention program that involves the provision of information, motivational interviewing, and behavioral skills building to reduce risk behaviors associated with HIV and STI transmission. We designed a pre-post study without control to assess the effects of GPS Latino on depression, loneliness, the self-efficacy of condom use negotiation, and condomless anal sex (CAS). During the study, one HIV-positive peer counselor administered six 2-hour counseling sessions to 11 participants living with HIV and 10 HIV-negative MSM Latino living in Toronto, Canada. A paired t-test and a McNemar test were employed to assess the effects of GPS Latino twelve months after the start of the intervention. Our study shows a reduction in CAS (any partner) from 90% at the baseline to 62% at the 12-month follow-up (p = 0.06). The findings also indicate an increase from 19.2 to 21.5 (p = 0.01) in self-efficacy of negotiating condom use in HIV-negative participants. As a peer-led counseling intervention, GPS Latino may offer an efficient way of concurrently reducing CAS, and increasing condom use negotiation in immigrant Latino men who have sex with men.

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Preexposure prophylaxis comprehension and the certainty of willingness to use preexposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men in China

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462418781142 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 4-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zhi-Wei Zheng ◽

Jia-Ling Qiu ◽

Jing Gu ◽

Hui-Fang Xu ◽

Wei-Bin Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Odds Ratio ◽

Online Survey ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Chinese Men ◽

Preexposure Prophylaxis ◽

Key Factor ◽

Sex With Men ◽

High Level ◽

Willingness To Use ◽

Basic Level

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is not available in China and the willingness to use PrEP among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) is not clear. The aim of this study was to better understand the association between PrEP comprehension and the willingness to use PrEP under varying conditions among MSM. An online survey investigating personal characteristics, PrEP comprehension, and PrEP willingness among MSM was conducted. A third of respondents (36.2%, 196 out of 541) reported that they would like to use PrEP. Compared with MSM with a basic level of PrEP comprehension, MSM with a high level were more likely to report clear choices: a willingness or unwillingness to use PrEP (82.4% versus 65.7%, p <0.01). Among 350 MSM willing to use PrEP or uncertain about uptake, those with a high level of PrEP comprehension were more likely to use PrEP daily (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.71, 95% confidence interval 1.04–2.80), and to use PrEP with mild or other side effects (AOR = 2.72 or 2.77). A high level of PrEP comprehension is a key factor in urging MSM to use PrEP under varying conditions. Our findings call attention to the need for health education to improve PrEP comprehension.

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Using structural equation modelling to characterise multilevel socioecological predictors and mediators of condom use among transgender women and cisgender men who have sex with men in the Philippines

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002463 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (7) ◽

pp. e002463

Author(s):

Arjee Restar ◽

Adedotun Ogunbajo ◽

Alexander Adia ◽

Jennifer Nazareno ◽

Laufred Hernandez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Condom Use ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Latent Variables ◽

Structural Equation ◽

The Philippines ◽

Transgender Women ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Hiv Services ◽

Sex With Men

BackgroundRisks for condomless sex among transgender women and cisgender men who have sex with men (trans-WSM and cis-MSM, respectively) in the Philippines, where HIV recently became a national public health crisis, are shaped and exacerbated by various risk factors across multiple levels.MethodsBetween June 2018 and August 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional online study with 318 trans-WSM and cis-MSM respondents from Manila and Cebu cities. Structural equational modelling procedures were performed to determine direct, indirect and overall effects between condom use and latent variables across multiple socioecological levels: personal (ie, condom self-efficacy), social (ie, social capital), environmental (ie, barriers to condom and HIV services) and structural (ie, structural violence, antidiscrimination policies).ResultsAdjusted for gender, age, location and income, our model showed that: (1) all latent variables at the structural and environmental levels were significantly positively associated with each other (all ps<0.05); (2) barriers to condom and HIV services were significantly negatively associated with social capital (p<0.001) as well as condom self-efficacy (p<0.001); and (3) there were significantly positive associations between social capital and condom self-efficacy (p<0.001), and between condom self-efficacy and condom use (p<0.001). Moreover, social capital and condom self-efficacy fully mediated and buffered the negative effects between environmental and structural barriers and condom use.ConclusionThis is the first known study pointing to multiple relationships and pathways across multiple socioecological levels that can potentially be leveraged for future interventions aimed at improving condom use among Filipinx trans-WSM and cis-MSM. Such interventions should be multicomponent and build and/or strengthen social capital and condom self-efficacy, as well as intentionally target prominent structural and environmental barriers to condom use.

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Condom Use Self-Efficacy and HIV Risk Practices Among Men Who Use the Internet to Find Male Partners for Unprotected Sex

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988313492172 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 190-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Hugh Klein

Keyword(s):

Condom Use ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Role Identity ◽

Unprotected Sex ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Risk Practices ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Drug Problems

This research examines the levels of condom use self-efficacy in a population of men who have sex with men who are at great risk for contracting/transmitting HIV. It focuses on the relationship between condom use self-efficacy and risk involvement, and examines the factors associated with greater/lower levels of condom use self-efficacy. The data come from a national sample of men, randomly chosen, who used any of 16 websites specifically to identify other men with whom they could engage in unprotected sex. Data were collected between January 2008 and May 2009 from 332 men, via telephone interviews. Multivariate analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test a conceptual model based on syndemics theory. Overall levels of condom use self-efficacy were fairly high, and self-efficacy was related inversely to involvement in HIV risk practices. Six factors were found to be indicative of levels of condom use self-efficacy: the number of drug problems experienced, sexual role identity as a “bottom,” not caring about the HIV serostatus of potential sex partners, experiencing childhood maltreatment, having confidence in HIV-related information provided in other men’s online profiles, and level of HIV knowledge. Condom use self-efficacy plays an integral role in HIV risk practices among high-risk men who have sex with men. This is true despite the fact that, overall, condom use self-efficacy levels were fairly high in this population.

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