Risk behaviours of an interrelated syphilis-infected sexual network of men who have sex with men

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

We examined the risk behaviours in an interrelated sexual network of 33 syphilis-infected men who have sex with men on the use of condoms, substances and websites to meet sexual partners. Our study used a descriptive exploratory design to investigate co-occurring high-risk behaviours in this interrelated sexual network to inform future health interventions and research directions.

BACKGROUND:

Although the risk behaviours for human immunodeficiency virus transmission in men who have sex with men have been studied, few have studied the high-risk population of men who already have syphilis, and even fewer have studied the risk behaviours in sexual networks of syphilis-infected men who have sex with men who were identified using contact tracing.

DESIGN/METHODS:

The data were collected from semi-structured, individual interviews at a not-for-profit lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health centre in a large city in the Midwestern USA.

RESULTS:

Inconsistent condom use was substantial during both insertive (92%) and receptive (88%) anal intercourse. Most participants (97%) reported using one or more substances prior to or during anal intercourse, and Internet websites were the most common place to meet sexual partners (88%).

CONCLUSIONS:

High-risk behaviours were significant within this syphilis-infected sexual network of men who have sex with men. The majority of our 33 participants were non-Hispanic Whites (n = 27, 82%), possessed a baccalaureate degree or higher (n = 23, 70%), and actively sought out unprotected anal intercourse [21 participants (64%) used BareBackRT.com, a website to seek out unprotected anal intercourse].

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:

Nurses should be more informed about the risk factors of a high-risk sexual network of syphilis-infected men who have sex with men. Interrelated sexual networks have high levels of similarity among participants' high-risk behaviours; contact tracing may be used to identify individual participants for relevant risk-reduction interventions.

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By:  Diesterheft R¹, Brady JP², Shattell M^1,3.

¹School of Nursing, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA.

²Department of Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA.

³Department of Community, Systems, and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA.

J Clin Nurs. 2016 Apr 22. doi: 10.1111/jocn.13209. [Epub ahead of print]

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