To What Extent Can Men Who Have Sex with Men Identify and Contact Their Online Sex Partners? Results From a Sexual Networks Study in Atlanta, GA

Background:  Men who have sex with men (MSM) increasingly meet sex partners online and the internet has emerged as an important risk environment. Few data are available on the extent to which sex partners met online are identifiable for partner notification, and whether this differs for partners met online versus offline.

Objectives:  In an ongoing study of MSM sexual networks in Atlanta, we described the extent to which participants could provide the names of and contact their sex partners, and to determine if these differed for partners met online. 

Methods:  Participants complete a computer-based questionnaire. For the most recent 5 sex partners in the previous 12 months, we asked partner names, whether the participant could contact the partner, and whether the partner was met online. Providing first and last names and contact ability were compared between partners met online and offline using chi-square tests.

Results:  To date, 74 participants have reported on 344 partners. First names were provided for 82% of partners, not known for 12%, and the participant preferred to not disclose for 6%. For last names, the distribution was 49%, 38%, 13%. Participants believed they could contact 80% of their partners. For the 41% of partners met online, compared to those met offline, provision of first names (81% vs. 85%, p = 0.40) and the ability to contact (77% vs. 84%, p = 0.14) were similar.  Provision of last names (43% vs. 55%, p = 0.05) was lower for partners met online than offline.

Conclusions:  Reporting of first names and contact ability were moderate and similar for partners met online and offline. Reporting of last names was low, particularly for partners met online.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research:  Our results suggest that sex partners of MSM met online may be as readily contacted as partners met offline.