Abstract #3725  -  Comparison of the 2009 and 2013 editions of the Net Gay Baromètre survey for indicators of sexual risk behaviour among MSM
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Prof ALAIN LEOBON - CNRS - UMR Espaces et Société
Additional Authors:  Prof Joanne Otis, Mrs Annie Velter, Mr Yannick Chicoine Brathwaite,
Aim: The 2013 edition of the online French survey Net Gay Baromètre is compared to its 2009 edition on the main risk factors for HIV and HCV transmission according to HIV-status of respondents. The objective is to highlight the possible changes in the way these groups of respondents live their relation to prevention in the context of sexual intercourse with casual partners.
Method / Issue: Net Gay Baromètre recruits respondents from gay dating sites representative of the diversity of sex cultures of MSM. The 2013 edition has expanded the population to the social networks as well as to the gay media this group was excluded from this analysis as to make the data comparable. Over 14,000 fully completed questionnaires were combined at the time of writing of this abstract and were compared with 17,500 questionnaires completed in 2009. The comparison is limited to respondents tested for HIV/AIDS and reporting at least one male casual sexual partner, meaning 8284 respondents in 2013 versus 14,909 in 2009. These respondents were divided into three groups: HIV-negative (HIV-), HIV-positive (HIV+) and unsure of still being HIV-negative (HIV?). The statistical significance of the differences between survey years is evaluated by Pearson?s chi-square analysis.
Results / Comments: The analyses show a higher proportion in risk-taking for the 2013 survey, reflected in this sample of indicators: reports of regular unprotected anal sex are higher among HIV- respondents (12.9% vs. 24.4% p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (32.0% vs. 48.9% p ≤ 0.001) as for HIV+ respondents (57.0% vs. 76.4% p ≤ 0.001). The declaration of unprotected anal intercourse with serodifferent partners or partners of unknown HIV status is higher among HIV- respondents (15.9% vs. 20.8%, p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (61.7% vs. 72.3% p ≤ 0.001) and HIV+ respondents (73.4% vs 86.5% p ≤ 0.001). STIs are also more common among HIV- respondents (6.8% vs. 19.1% p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (13.4% vs. 30.3% p ≤ 0.001) and HIV+ respondents (23.3% vs. 54.3% p ≤ 0.001) infection with hepatitis C follows this trend, for HIV- respondents (0.9% vs. 3.5% p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (0.6% vs. 2.5% p ≤ 0.001) and among HIV+ respondents (7.8% vs 15.5% p ≤ 0.001). We also notice a higher proportion of declaration of marginal sexual practices in HIV- respondents (44.5 vs. 59.5 p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (55.7% vs. 71.3% p ≤ 0.001) and HIV+ respondents (76.3% vs. 82.7% p ≤ 0.001). Consumption of sex drugs (poppers, cocaine, GHB and viagra) is also higher among HIV- (41.4% vs. 48.0% p ≤ 0.001), HIV? respondents (57.8% vs. 66.1% p ≤ 0.001) and HIV+ respondents (76.6% vs 84.7% p ≤ 0.001).
Discussion: The consistent and nearly systematic trend toward an increase in all types of risk factors, regardless of the HIV status of respondents, points to issues with regards to prevention that stakeholders and community leaders must address. Indeed, in a convincing manner, these results challenge the discourses and predominant prevention practices promoted in recent years, and probably the underestimation of the consequences of seroconversion on quality of life.
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