4270.1: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - Board 1

Abstract #22201

A comparison of the sexual risk behaviors of gay and bisexual men on the Internet versus at bars: Who does the Internet reach?

Scott D. Rhodes, PhD(c), MPH, CHES1, Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD2, Kenneth C. Hergenrather, PhD(c), MRC, MSEd3, Leland J. Yee, MPH4, and Erin R. Smith, MPH1. (1) Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Ryals Building 227, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, 205/934.6020, rhodes@uab.edu, (2) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 303322, (3) Department of Rehabilitation, Auburn University, 1228 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36849-5226, (4) London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Background: Little is known about how Internet samples differ from samples collected by more traditional methodologies.

Objective: To compare the demographics and sexual-risk behaviors of Internet respondents to the demographics and sexual-risk behaviors of bar-outreach respondents.

Design: Internet electronic communications were used to collect data from men who have sex with men (MSM), using a 31-item online questionnaire accessible for one month. During this month, data were collected at two "gay" bars in Birmingham, Alabama, using a paper version of the same questionnaire.

Results: Of the 628 respondents who completed the online questionnaire, most were from the US (90.2%). Of these, 94.6% self-identified as MSM. Of the 130 bar patrons who completed the paper and pencil questionnaire, 88.5% self-identified MSM. Using bivariate analyses, the Internet MSM were significantly more likely than bar MSM to identify as "bisexual" (P=.01), report a history of STD infection (P=.0001), and report greater numbers of sex partners in the past 30 days (P=.01) and during their lifetime (P=.001). However, there was no significant difference between samples in drug use, or reports of consistent condom use during oral or anal intercourse.

Conclusions: Although the rates of consistent condom use were low in both samples, our findings suggest that Internet respondents report greater sexual risk than the bar-outreach respondents. While much is unknown about the sample of MSM who participate in Internet-based data collection, it appears that the Internet may serve as an effective methodology to reach high-risk MSM for both data collection and intervention.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe and compare the demographics and sexual risk behaviors of two samples of men who have sex with men (MSM);
  2. Explore the representativeness of data collected via the Interent;
  3. Assess the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of the Internet as a data collection tool; and,
  4. Identify future directions for Internet research and application.

Keywords: Gay Men, Internet

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA