title: Correlates of group sex among a community-based sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Washington, DC.
abstract: Participation of MSM in group sex events (GSEs) is an understudied phenomenon. Studies on GSEs identified significant proportions of MSM engaging in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). We sought to identify the prevalence of group sex participation among MSM in Washington, DC and to characterize these experiences. Data were collected for NHBS-MSM-3 in 2011. More than one-quarter of MSM (27.2 %) reported engaging in group sex in the prior year, with one-third reporting no condom use with their sex partners (33.0 %). In multivariable logistic regression, men who participated in a GSE in the prior year were significantly younger, more likely to be white, and to have used crystal meth, poppers, and downers in the past year. The high prevalence of UAI during GSEs, especially in view of the fact that HIV-positive MSM were significantly less likely to report condom use, offers an opportunity to develop risk reduction interventions specific to GSE attendees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, 2100-W Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 800, Washington, DC, 20037, USA, glp2@gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Manya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnus
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rawls
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: West-Ojo
authors.forename: Yujiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jenevieve
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Opoku
authors.forename: Alan E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology*