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Geosocial-networking smartphone applications represent an increasingly common virtual context in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet their sexual partners. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate community-level sexual behavior norms and their associations with condom use among MSM in Atlanta, Georgia, recruited from a popular smartphone application (n = 92). Engagement in condomless anal intercourse was more common among participants who agreed that, among MSM in their community, (a) it is difficult to negotiate condom use in partnerships where condomless sex has already occurred and (b) suggesting condom use implies one distrusts their partner. These norms may represent barriers to increasing condom use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geosocial-networking smartphone applications represent an increasingly common virtual context in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet one another. The purpose of the current study is to describe levels of involvement with the mainstream gay community among a sample of MSM in Atlanta who use apps (n= 92) and assess their associations with condomless anal intercourse. Among the sample, 53.3% agreed that they felt distant from the gay community and 72.8% reported going to a gay bar/club once a month or less. No associations between involvement with the gay community and condomless anal intercourse were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of new HIV infections continues to be on the rise in many high-income countries, most notably among men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite recent attention to the use of antiretroviral medications as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM, considerably less research has been devoted to examining the awareness and use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Based on a convenience sample of 179 self-reported HIV-uninfected MSM using a geosocial-networking smartphone application, this study is among the first to examine the awareness and use of PEP and their demographic and behavioral correlates among MSM in London. Most respondents (88.3%) had heard of PEP, where 27.4% reported having used it. In multivariable models, the disclosure of one’s sexual orientation to their general practitioner (Prevalence ratio [PR]: 3.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 10.70;p = .029) and reporting one’s HIV status as negative (rather than unknown) (PR: 11.49; 95% CI: 1.68, 76.92;p = .013) were associated with having heard of PEP; while the recent use of club drugs (PR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.42, 6.43;p = .004) was associated with having ever used PEP. High awareness and use in this sample suggest that PEP is a valuable risk-reduction strategy that should be capitalized on, be it in addition to or in the absence of PrEP. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• Most studies investigating the role of neighborhoods in HIV-related outcomes among men who have sex with men (MSM) exclusively focus on the residential environment. • Spatial mobility was documented with both self-reported survey data and objective GPS data, which provided uncorrelated information. • Almost two-thirds (62.9%) of participants' GPS points were recorded in NYC ZIP code tabulation areas within the highest quartile of HIV prevalence. • Compared to males, it was found that transfemale, genderqueer, and other MSM spent a much higher fraction of their non-home GPS time in high HIV prevalence areas. The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify spatial mobility among HIV-negative young men who have sex with men (YMSM) within and across high prevalence HIV neighborhoods in New York City (NYC). We completed an analysis with global positioning system (GPS) and survey data to quantify spatial mobility for participants enrolled in the P18 Neighborhood Study (analytic n = 211; 83.4%). Spatial mobility was documented with self-reported survey data and objective GPS data, which was uncorrelated. Nearly one-quarter of participants (26.1%) said that they consider the neighborhood in which they currently live to differ from the neighborhood in which they had sex most frequently. In addition, 62.9% of participants' GPS points were recorded in NYC ZIP Code Tabulation Areas within the highest quartile of HIV prevalence. Future studies of YMSM populations should be conducted to examine how environments beyond the residential neighborhood can influence sexual health, which may guide HIV prevention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial contexts and spatial mobility are important factors of the HIV epidemic and sexually transmitted infections. Using global positioning system (GPS) devices, we examined the associations of objectively measured spatial mobility with sexual risk behaviors among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. This observational study included a subgroup of 253 HIV-negative MSM from the Project 18 Cohort Study, who participated in the GPS monitoring sub-study. Spatial mobility was measured as (1) distance traveled and (2) activity space size defined as daily path area during 2-week of GPS tracking. We examined the associations of these measures with numbers of male sexual partners and condomless anal intercourse (CAI) acts during last six months using quasi-Poisson models, adjusting for socio-demographics. Results demonstrated that spatial mobility was positively associated with sexual risk behaviors, for example, with CAI (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.01 for a 10 km increase in distance traveled and IRR = 1.04 for a 1 km2 increase in 50 m-buffer activity space size). Our findings may enhance the understanding of spatial contexts of HIV risk. Future studies should be conducted to examine the mechanisms for the associations between spatial mobility behaviors with sexual risk behaviors as well as the influence of neighborhood characteristics in various neighborhood contexts, which may guide the place-based HIV prevention services. • GPS-based spatial mobility was positively associated with sexual risk behaviors. • Findings confirm the spatial contexts of HIV risks in urban environments. • Future studies may guide the place-based HIV prevention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]