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Constantinou H, Fairley CK, Bradshaw CS, Choi EPH, Maddaford K, Phillips TR, Chow EPF. Factors associated with group sex in heterosexual males and females attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia: a cross-sectional survey. Sex Health 2022; 19:39-45. [PMID: 35292129 DOI: 10.1071/sh21224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There have been limited studies of group sex among heterosexual individuals. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with group sex among heterosexual males and females to improve risk assessment guidelines and inform sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening requirements. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted among heterosexual males and females aged ≥16 years attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between March and April 2019. The survey asked about group sex participation, methods used to meet sexual partners, number of casual and/or regular partners, and injection drug use (IDU) in the previous 3 months. HIV and STI (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis) diagnoses were extracted. A multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors associated with group sex participation. RESULTS A total of 698 participants (325 males, 373 females) were included and 4.7% (33/698) had participated in group sex in the previous 3 months. The proportion who participated in group sex increased with age (2.1% in 16-24 years, 5.5% in 25-34 years, 7.8% in ≥35 years, ptrend=0.010). Meeting partners at sex venues (e.g. brothels) was associated with the highest odds of participating in group sex (aOR=5.74, 95% CI: 1.20-27.44), followed by dating apps (aOR=2.99, 95% CI: 1.36-6.58), friends/family (aOR=2.99, 95% CI: 1.34-6.69) and social venues (e.g. bar) (aOR=2.73, 95% CI: 1.18-6.30). Group sex was strongly associated with STI positivity (aOR=6.24, 95% CI: 2.41-16.13). There was no association between group sex and sex, casual and/or regular partners, HIV positivity or IDU. CONCLUSION Heterosexual individuals participating in group sex had a six-fold risk of testing positive for STIs. Including group sex in a sexual history is useful to determine STI risk and inform testing practices. Safe sex messages on group sex that are delivered through multiple methods (e.g. at sex venues, social venues and dating apps simultaneously) would be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Constantinou
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Catriona S Bradshaw
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia; and Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia
| | - Edmond P H Choi
- School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Kate Maddaford
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia
| | - Tiffany R Phillips
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Eric P F Chow
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia; and Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia
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Chow EPF, Phillips TR, Tran J, Aung ET, Maddaford K, Fairley CK. A cross-sectional study of male and female kissing partners among men who have sex with men. Sex Health 2022; 19:27-32. [PMID: 35241217 DOI: 10.1071/sh21184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kissing may be a risk factor for gonorrhoea. Past studies have focused on male kissing partners among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed to examine the kissing practices of MSM who kiss male and female partners. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) between March and April 2019. Men attending the MSHC, aged ≥16years who reported any sexual contact with another man in the previous 12months were invited to participate in the survey. Data about the number of kissing-only (kissing without sex), kissing-with-sex, and sex-only (having sex without kissing) partners in the previous 3months were collected. Men were asked to report the number of male and female partners separately. RESULTS There were 357 MSM included in the survey. Most men (97.2%, n=347) had kissed or had sex with another man, whereas 16.0% (n=57) had kissed or had sex with a female partner in the previous 3months. Of the 57 men, 26.3% (n=15) had only kissed a female partner without having sex. The mean number of male partners for kissing-only was 5.5 (s.d.=6.6), kissing-with-sex was 5.0 (s.d.=6.6) and sex-only was 3.9 (s.d.=4.3). The mean number of female partners for kissing-only was 4.2 (s.d.=6.9), kissing-with-sex was 3.8 (s.d.=4.9) and sex-only was 3.2 (s.d.=3.4). CONCLUSION MSM not only kiss men in the absence of sex, but also kiss women in the absence of sex. Gonorrhoea could be transmitted between MSM and women via kissing in the absence of sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P F Chow
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia; and Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia
| | - Tiffany R Phillips
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Julien Tran
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Ei T Aung
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
| | - Kate Maddaford
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia; and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia
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Constantinou H, Fairley CK, Hocking JS, Bradshaw CS, Choi EPH, Maddaford K, Phillips TR, Chow EPF. Associations Between Methods of Meeting Sexual Partners and Sexual Practices Among Heterosexuals: Cross-sectional Study in Melbourne, Australia. JMIR Form Res 2021; 5:e26202. [PMID: 34283024 PMCID: PMC8335617 DOI: 10.2196/26202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The association between meeting partners on the web and sexual practices has been understudied in heterosexuals. Objective This study aims to examine the associations between the methods of meeting partners and sexual practices and HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in heterosexuals. Methods We conducted a survey among heterosexuals attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre in 2019. This survey asked about the methods through which the participants engaged in meeting their sexual partners, sexual practices, and intravenous drug use (IVDU) over the past 3 months. The participants’ HIV and STI (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) status was obtained from clinical testing. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between each method of meeting and the participants’ sexual practices, IVDU, and STI status. Results A total of 698 participants (325 men and 373 women) were included in the study. Most of the participants reported using only one method to meet partners (222/325, 68.3% men; 245/373, 65.7% women; P=.05). The men met partners most commonly at social venues (eg, bar, pub, or party; 126/325, 38.8%), whereas the women met partners most commonly through friends or family (178/373, 47.7%). Paying for sex was associated with men meeting partners at sex venues (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 145.34, 95% CI 26.13-808.51) and on the internet (AOR 10.00, 95% CI 3.61-27.55). There was no association between IVDU and methods of meeting. Social venues were associated with condomless vaginal sex among men (AOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.94-5.71) and women (AOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.61-4.13) and testing positive for STI among men (AOR 3.04, 95% CI 1.24-7.48) and women (AOR 3.75, 95% CI 1.58-8.89). Conclusions Heterosexuals who met partners at social venues had a more than threefold risk of testing positive for STIs, indicating that heterosexuals may benefit from health promotion campaigns that are delivered through a public setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Constantinou
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Jane S Hocking
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Catriona S Bradshaw
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Edmond P H Choi
- School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kate Maddaford
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Tiffany R Phillips
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia
| | - Eric P F Chow
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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