title: A relative profile of HIV-negative users of French websites for men seeking men and predictors of their regular risk taking: a comparison with HIV-positive users.
abstract: The Net Gay Barometre is a biennial survey among users of France's most popular websites for men who have sex with men (MSM). Given the recent increases in HIV infection and sexual risk practices among French MSM, this study aims to: (1) create a socio-sexual profile of HIV-negative men (HIV-); (2) identify predictors of regular unprotected anal intercourse (RUAI) in this group, and responding to a call for stratifying analyses of online samples of MSM by HIV status; and (3) perform the former two aims by comparing HIV- men with HIV-positive men (HIV+). Statistical analyses were conducted with 11,771 HIV- men and 2130 HIV+ men who completed the online survey between December 2008 and March 2009. Regarding the first aim, fewer HIV- men, relative to HIV+ men, were exposed to factors conducive to sexually transmitted infection; in the previous 12 months, smaller proportions of this group had gone to venues where sexual encounters were possible, engaged in an esoteric sexual activity, had a high number of casual partners, and practiced unprotected anal sex, RUAI or barebacking. However, multivariate regression analyses identifying predictors of RUAI in each group revealed common predictors: sensation-seeking, esoteric activities, oral contact with sperm, and barebacking (in a couple), although odds were generally higher in HIV+ men. Our findings raise the possibility of a sexual culture accentuating pleasure and adventurism that may gain in amplitude once seroconversion takes place.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire CARTA - UMR Espaces et Societe, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Angers, France. alain.leobon@mac.com
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leobon
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velter
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engler
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Drouin
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Otis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult