title: Prevalence and risk behaviors of Chinese men who seek same-sex partners via the internet in Hong Kong.
abstract: To examine the prevalence of Internet sex networking among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong and risk behaviors associated with the behavior, a telephone survey of 15,230 Hong Kong Chinese men aged 18-60 was conducted. Of the 283 active MSM (having engaged in some MSM behaviors in the last 6 months) identified, 17.7% had networked for MSM partners via the Internet in the last 6 months. Younger age (odds ratio [OR] for age < or = 25 vs. age >25 = 4.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.35-9.28) and being an anal-sex MSM (OR = 4.72, 95% CI=2.36-9.44) were independent predictors of Internet sex networking. Being an Internet sex networker was associated with some risk behaviors such as having contracted a sexually transmitted disease (adjusted OR = 4.79, 95% CI = 1.34-17.11), having had > or = 3 MSM partners (adjusted OR = 4.74, 95% CI = 2.20-10.23), and having engaged in anal sex (adjusted OR = 3.95, 95% CI = 1.89-8.23). HIV prevention programs for MSM should thereby include Internet-based interventions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. jlau@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Joseph T F
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Jean H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mason
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tsui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012747:Sexual Partners